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A Sociological Agenda
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A Sociological Agenda |
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smalls Member
since 2002-12-20
Posts 62 |
A Sociological Agenda… Is it me or does anyone ever notice themselves listening to a teacher that speaks about different cultures as if they know how it is to live through the eyes of those people? Teachers are a blessing, but there has to be a better way to enhance the student's cultural awareness and sensitivity. Objectively speaking, I keep running into people that in some way idealize traditional American attitudes in a biased fashion. The attitudes and motives that this country was founded on still seems to persist in this society…The "Our way is the best way" attitude. In trying to understand a different cultural experience, I have come to believe that the teacher's life experiences should be emphasized just as much in the teaching as their theoretical knowledge. Often times we listen to teachers that teach us what they have read and not what they have experienced. How much more fulfilling would the learning experience be if the teacher could incorporate theoretical knowledge with first-hand experiences? A broader perspective and awareness of cultures could be better embraced. I believe it all begins with the traditional methods of teaching and recycles itself through the youth who then become the teachers we listen to. I don't understand how some person sits behind a desk and bases someone's intelligence off of numbers calculated by a test that better suited the students that just studied all day, every day… I can see it feasible in physics, chemistry, or mathematics where calculations need to be exact so buildings don't fall over, or bombs don't accidentally explode. How can it be feasible in the sciences of understanding people and culture? If you spend all your time in books, where is your time to go out and experience the world around you, and I'm not just talking about distant places, but even the immediate surroundings we often forget are there. So the fact that I can show that I can memorize theory, but have never experienced it, I am a professional? I am now your teacher because I have passed all tests with flying colors and now I can tell you that this is the way to live life, or the way I have lived is best for you? Someone may stand behind that podium and tell us "x+y=z," but it may be irrelevant to someone born outside the US, or who grew up non-white, or who didn't grow up with the silver spoon in their mouth. Good thing those teachers were able to afford to go to the best schools, afford all their books, and pay for their test preparation courses. That SAT, GMAT, and GRE tests are now under their thumb. We take these tests that include material based on not how many life experiences we've had, or how much personal growth and substance has incurred within, but on how many books we went through and how much money we had. So you mean to tell me the person that gets promoted for scoring high on the test has all the merit needed to get by, and they get labeled as being intelligent, or certified to teach? What is intelligence anyhow? I think intelligence should be measured not only by theoretical knowledge, but also by the accumulation of different life experiences. For example, in the field of sociology, life experiences such as traveling is a good way to expand perspectives. Having the ability to relate to people and understand their circumstances in life allows someone to better understand their own social surroundings. Even more so, the culture being explored still has the best insight on what it is like being theirselves. If you are male, tell me why you know women so well. If you are white, tell me why you know black people so well. If you are wealthy, tell me how the poor feel. There are too many teachers alike and that's why I believe many youth in the US continue to grow up culturally unaware and insensitive. There is no one individual to blame for the structures of this society and the educational system. If we want to blame someone, blame ourselves for not sharing to others what we believe to be the practice of good human ethics. These practices of holding an objective stance on issues need to be developed by individuals at an early age so that they can understand that it's not so much that these people are different from us, but we are different to them; it's not so much that our way is best, but their way is just as adequate to them. For example, these smaller less modernized nations, do they really need to jump on the bandwagon of modern technology? I mean, we say we are helping these countries by trying to globalize them, but are we really doing them a favor since they have to borrow from the World Bank or the US just to equip themselves with modern technology? They go into debt millions of dollars. The only way they can repay someone like the US would be to let the US establish military facilities on their land, or to let the US use their resources. If they are content with their lifestyle, realize what works for us might not work for them. For that reason, we need to communicate to the youth through a different experience, one they are not accustomed to. We should encourage the minority teacher to teach at a school that has a 99 percent Caucasian faculty. Seriously, I had a Caucasian professor teach a course on Filipino American history. With all respect, how much does he possibly know about the Filipino American experience? He said he was a missionary in the Philippines and that his ancestors were too. Well, I happened to take another Filipino studies course with an Asian professor who said [The United States sent missionaries along with armies to Christianize the Filipinos because they thought the Filipinos were savages. But did they not know that most Filipinos already adopted Catholicism while under Spanish rule? Christianize to the Americans at that time really meant colonize…] But I didn't hear this from the other professor. So how does one take both learning experiences into account? These are the types of issues that the youth need to objectively take into consideration and keep in mind that there are different perspectives out there, not just what we learn here in the states. If we take into account only one perspective, that is all we will see. Imagine learning these perspectives at an early age and taking them into late adulthood. How hard will it be to get someone to change after 40 years of conditioning? Get this… We have ideals here where someone can't just walk into some job with their unconventional hairstyle because it grows too curly and puffy. What indication of character does that hairstyle reveal when it's part of someone's culture? A kid three years old will have fun pulling it, but a man of 40 years is going to say it's not professional. That's really funny, his 40 years and one comment like that, his life could be broken down, but he has no clue of the substance and ability that person brings forth. That's exactly the attitude that still persists in this society… Our way is the right way. Clearly, it will remain that way until people become exposed to ideals, attitudes, and teachings of the other 80 percent of inhabitants of this world. Please check out my poetry online |
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Wesley the Blue Member
since 1999-09-02
Posts 426Forest Lake, MN, USA |
Real life experience cannot be replaced by book learning. However the things we learn from the books in school can help us understand our experiences better. Our knowledge acts as a filter or a lens that we use to digest new information. It is not everything, but it is a good place to start from. Everyone's perspective on life is different. The key is to remember this when dealing with anyone. Take what you deem usefull from your encounters in the real world and in the classroom, and throw the rest out. But most importantly, make your own choices and form your opinions about things rather than just taking what others say as right. "The usefulness of a cup is in its emptiness, for a cup that is full can hold no more." |
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Skyfire 
since 2000-12-27
Posts 3381Riding |
My geography teacher this semester was the best teacher I've had at university yet. Why? Because he actually went out and saw the things he taught about. He was involved in them, and that gave a delicious flavour to his lectures. Yeah he lectured about the topics in the book, but the man is so incredibly experienced in his field that he could have taught the course without the text. I'm definitely taking a class with him again  I loved your writing. Probably partially because you have opinions close to mine, but it's all good. Was it an essay by chance? Just curious, as the format and language seemed to be of an essay formality. I loved it Life may be hard, but it's your attitude that determines your happieness |
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smalls Member
since 2002-12-20
Posts 62 |
Thank you both for replying...life experiences and theoretical knowledge is a good combination! Wesley the blue, I totally agree with you! Skyfire, the format is pretty informal, I just write, but I want it to be somewhat structured and flow. It's just my free thoughts that question everyday life and my place in it. Active learning can't be replaced.... Please check out my poetry online |
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