I think just having a diverse course pack, which I am already planning on, will help. I don't want to stray too far into pure social justice, since I am an English teacher, not a Social Studies teacher. But I can assign them to read an article about privilege, or an article like the one Shari gave us about the pool incident--just something current so discrimination doesn't feel historical, and assign them a debate or an essay on the subject.
Those are my thoughts so far. Let me know if you have further ideas
Hi Bets. I feel very strongly about this issue. Privilege does not mean "no respect" in all cases. The idea is becoming very generalized to assume that children from privileged homes are "spoiled brats". There are some/many to be sure, but there are also some/many that are not. I have been around many as I have tutored them. I walk into their school or homes and see only respect. The families instill care and empathy for many social causes. They do give to their community (school or otherwise). Affluent does not mean ignorant. These children are sometimes the product of their family life and interactions. Read Alfie Kohn's essay on Caring Children. It is a great inspiration on how to help children in the education environment to become better w/ care, and empathy. Remember are goal is to get to know our students this should also apply to affluent children and not make them the scapegoats for society's ills. Thanks for being patient w/ me. Susan R.
ReplyDeleteI like this entire conversation. Bets, I think it would be a great favor to do for your students if you were able (in class or in extracurriculars) to find ways for them to be able to give back...thoughtfully. It seems clear enough that you aren't speaking of a kind of "noblesse oblige" in which kids do for others so they can pat themselves on the back, but rather so that they might think a bit about their good fortune, etc. Your comment makes me think of service learning, where one of the key ideas is that the giver and receiver collaborate in determining the need (and nature of the service), seeking to embody a spirit of reciprocity. In addition, there is always work done to learn about the setting where the service is to be provided, as well as ample opportunity to reflect on the work being done, and how its going. If you're interested in more about service learning, Bets, let me know. Here's one link that might be helpful.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I'm pleased to see you referencing the very thoughtful Alfie Kohn...I've found him to be a refreshing and original thinker, and I will try to track down that essay.
I like the idea of a person of privilege sharing social capital. I also like the image of being a privilege broker, sharing what privilege and connection one has to help one less privileged. I have come from privilege and have worked with privileged kids. Having an attitude of appreciation for what one has and not entitlement is a tricky balance. Somehow my parents were able to help me see that privilege is a blessing and not something that I earned. However, I worked with many students who had an entitlement attitude; their privilege was their due. It was theirs for the fun of it. They were not pleasant to be around and I did not learn how to change them other than to demonstrate a different example. I think your plan of reading is good. I wonder if you could incorporate service to others in your class, a service learning curriculum. This was a part of the part of the school I worked at and it got kids out of the ritzy neighborhood down to soup kitchens and areas where there were homeless. We took trips to Mexico where students saw what poverty looked like there. These experiences were very powerful when combined with good readings like you suggest.
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