Bravo, Daphne!

 

 

[A look at the root of "politics, political" from Webster's New Universal
Unabridged Dictionary:

 

Politic -

1. wise; prudent and sagacious in devising and pursuing measures; shrewd;
diplomatic: applied to persons; 

2. prudently or artfully contrived; well-devised; adapted to its end;
expedient, as a plan, action, remark, etc;

3. crafty; unscrupulous; cunning; artful

4. political; consisting of citizens; constituting the state;

 

Synonyms: prudent, wise, sagacious, provident, diplomatic, judicious,
cunning, wary, well-devised, discreet.]

 

  

Ann Veronica Coyle 

GED instructor

Watsonville/Aptos Adult Education

Calfornia USA

 

-----Original Message-----
From: povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Daphne Greenbe
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 6:37 PM
To: povertyracewomen at nifl.gov
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 333] Re: Empowerment v. Politics

 

John,

 

While I agree with some of your points, I am very careful before I judge

those that appear to me not to be "motivated". It is an empirical

question why people who go through the same horrendous experience have

different psychological, academic, and health outcomes. We do not know

why, except we do know that this is the case. Also, it is the outlier,

the exception, rather than the rule, for someone to endure the

unendurable and survive whole with the same kinds of motivations,

drives, etc, as individuals who have not endured horrific attrocities.

What creates the outlier? We do not know. But here are some hypotheses:

 

1. In the womb, they received "things" that their peers did not-for

example good prenatal care.

and/or

2. For the first few months/years of their lives they had secure, happy,

healthy bonding, nurturing, and educational experiences.

and/or

3. As children they were encouraged to dream and hold on to their

dreams, and believe that they can become true.

and/or

4. As children they were exposed to a role model that survived.

and/or

5. While they were enduring the horrific experience, there was someone

influential in their life that kept telling them that they were good,

decent human beings, that the oppressors were evil, and that one day

things really will be different.

and/or

6. They were born with good genes and something that made them less

vulnerable to being susceptible to hopelessness

and/or

7. As adults they have support that helps them achieve their goals.

 

I could go on and on. My point is that we cannot take two people who

supposedly went through the same experience and claim that they have the

same resiliency, and/or the same past or current experiences.

 

In my opinion, we help students where they are. If they are ready to

meet a long term goal, of getting a GED-great-let us suppport them. If

they are at a point in their lives, when coming to class once a week, is

a struggle, and they have sporadic attendance, then let us applaud them

for their efforts to attend when they attend. Everyone who comes to a

literacy class should be respected for who they are and applauded for

whatever they do. Someone who only comes sporadically may be

extremely motivated and is beating all the odds to come as infrequently

as they do. We do not know.

 

Daphne

 

Daphne Greenberg

Assistant Professor

Educational Psych. & Special Ed.

Georgia State University

P.O. Box 3979

Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3979

phone: 404-651-0127

fax:404-651-4901

dgreenberg at gsu.edu

 

Daphne Greenberg

Associate Director

Center for the Study of Adult Literacy

Georgia State University

P.O. Box 3977

Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3977

phone: 404-651-0127

fax:404-651-4901

dgreenberg at gsu.edu


>>> "John Warrior" <john.r.warrior at cox.net> 01/17/07 8:53 PM >>>


 

 

I have read your comments and thoughts and I would like to share some of

my

own. Education is empowering to the student. Where and how this power is

exercised depends on individual motivation, the motives of the teacher

and

the opportunities available to the student. My student population is

very

diverse but their reason for being there is usually to improve

themselves

and to enhance their opportunity for success. However, the question is,

what

brings one student into our class and another one stays at home? Why

will

one student work a 12 hour shift and come to class while another one

goes

home? I don't have the answer to these questions. I know that sometimes

it

is perception or not knowing that resources are available to them.

However,

there are others that are complacent and have no drive to excel, no

motivation to improve their situation.  I admire those people who reach

for

the stars and that will do anything to achieve success. It is this

admiration that motivates me every day. I feel that it is my

responsibility

to help each student achieve their goals and therefore, I have to be

prepared to the best of my ability, otherwise I am letting them down. I

have

one student that is an example of the drive that I wish all students

had,

especially the students who grew up in the U.S. 

 

 

 

This student is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Several years ago he had to flee his home on the Rwandan border when

civil

war erupted and thousands of people were dying. He fled the violence,

fearing for his own life. However, life would not improve for him going

deeper into the Congo. Oppression and an emerging civil war forced him

to

flee for his life again. He traveled through Africa and ended traveled

through Somalia before finally making his way to Europe. After a brief

stay

in England, he finally came to the U.S. Why did he come here? He came

here

for peace, security and opportunity. He always came to class prepared

and

despite the horrors he lived through, he always had a smile on his face.

I

am sorry, but if he can do it, than anyone can. 

 

 

 

Education can be used for ill too. Withholding education from people has

been used to try and oppress people. Nazi Germany forbid the Jews from

attending public schools in order to control them and limit their

opportunities. In addition to this we see a modern example of how

education

can be used for ill is in some of the Madras. There are some of these

that

the only education is to read the Koran and to have the Imam interpret

it

for the student. Some of these schools produce religious scholars while

others turn out hateful terrorists. As educators, we mold our student's

perception of the world. This includes politics, racism and

opportunities.

We do need to be apolitical in the classroom. With a focus on empowering

our

students as individuals, taking pride in who they are and that they can

do

anything the set their mind to. 

 

 

 

As for me, I am proud of my heritage. I have branch of my family that

goes

back into 1300s Scotland who fought with William Wallace for the freedom

of

the Scottish people. I have two great Uncles and their families who were

killed at Auschwitz in 1944. My father was a farmer from Iowa and my

mother

was the daughter of a Polish immigrant. Dad retired when I was in 6th

grade

and I grew up in a home on a small pension and Social Security. I served

in

the Army for 15 years, retiring as a Sergeant First Class. I spent most

of

my time with the 2nd Ranger Battalion and the 101st Airborne Division. I

retired early because of being injured in the line of duty. Overcoming

alcoholism and my disability, I obtained a BA and a MA Ed. Since 1999.

So,

my point is, I didn't have anything handed to me, I earned it. I empower

my

students and I serve them every day. My wife is Korean and of course my

kids

are mixed. 

 

 

 

I suggest we focus on empowering our students. There is no problem to

big

that cannot be overcome, it is all a matter of will. Will you do it or

not?

Do people have obstacles? Yes. Can they be overcome? Yes. Because if

someone

can come through some of the most violent conflicts on the face of the

earth

and succeed in class with the number of students who have similar

stories,

then someone can come across town and lift themselves out of whatever

hole

they are in. And I intend to be there to help them out of this hole,

regardless of race, creed or color. 

 

 

 

John Warrior

 

Tulsa Community College

 

Tulsa, Oklahoma

 

John.r.warrior at cox.net 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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