Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id fAJ0iC008384; Sun, 18 Nov 2001 19:44:12 -0500 (EST) Date: Sun, 18 Nov 2001 19:44:12 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <a1.1e70695b.2929aea5@aol.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: KathleenBombach@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:6728] Re: Classroom teacher X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: AOL 7.0 for Windows US sub 10021 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_a1.1e70695b.2929aea5_boundary" Status: O Content-Length: 3939 Lines: 56 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear All: I am replying to my own message on what to do with a teacher who cannot seem to learn/understand the lives, histories, cultures of his/her students. I gave a shot response that might offend some, so I thought I had better explain. The original emailer asked what to do about such a teacher, so this is not a situation where a program is receiving a new population and the teachers all need training on the background and culture of the new students. If that were the case, then I would recommend a professional development program, speakers from the community the new students come from, etc. The emailer indicated that this was one teacher who was "other-blind" (my neologism). The teacher apparently lacked insight and empathy for others. No training program or individual coaching session will change this. The things that might, like psychotherapy, are beyond the scope of an adult education program. The damage that such a teacher can do is enormous. I can remember a teachers who announced that girls could not learn what he was teaching (7th grade) and other teachers who looked down on poor children or black or Hispanic children. In adult literacy, I have seen teachers who did not like to teach, looked down on the students and considered them inferior, did not like people with disabilities or criminal records, blamed the students for their lack of English or welfare situation, etc. There is nothing you can do that is within your scope of responsibilities to "fix" this kind of teacher. What is going on is within the psychology of that individual. Get rid of him or her before they damage your students, even if you have to "promote" them to some other position. Kathleen Bombach
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