Mukumaoy Olimjonova

May 11, 2015

Edc90A4 

       Reading response; 3     

     In the article, "Students Social Class and Teacher Expectations: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy in Ghetto Education", Ray C.Rist talks about the observation study of one class from the first day of the school through the school year, and continued to observe the classroom until the end of the second grade. Through the observation he talks how students in the same classroom gained different responses from the teacher and how the teacher's expectations have shaped students in the classroom. 
      While observing black school children he finds out the socio-economic inequality that has existed in the classroom which have shaped the children's role in the classroom. The kindergarten teacher who was also black and came from a middle class family grouped her students by tables. The teacher grouped her students by the information that she  collected from parents of children, as well their family income from the social worker, and by the children's behavior during the few days of school. After a few days children were given seats. The teacher grouped students by the tables, high performance and good appearance  students were placed in the first  table of the classroom, the middle group of the students were placed in the second table of the classroom, and the poorest group in the back of the classroom in the third table. This organization of the students by the tables was related to the children's appearance, children's background and even their color or the hair comb impacted labeling.  
        The teacher divided the classroom students in the few days in the two groups which were fast learners and slow learners. Those students who were labeled fast learners were seated in the front of the classroom. These students had received better attention of the teacher and she most likely educated only this group of the students. And those who were labeled "slow learners" were seated in the back of the classroom. These students had less attention of the teacher, they had less opportunities to participate in to a various activities and often teacher neglected these students. She would not choose anyone from these tables to participate and she was dissatisfied with this students. Because of this teacher and her favorite students in the classroom turned against who she believed  were slow learners. The teacher  behaved differently to tables two and three which resulted of the development of low self esteem of the students.
      Also the teacher believed that certain characteristics and behaviors are more important that helps children learn than the others. The teacher organized the classroom according to the expectations of success or failure and resulted in children receiving differential support, attention and treatment from the teacher. Children who were seated at the front of the classroom received the most time of their teacher as well the better treatment from those who were seated at the back of the room. The treatment which children got from their teacher in tables two and three established low self esteem and they responded to the teacher with "withdrawal and verbal and physical in-group hostility" (p-428). Teacher taught them less, which resulted in children to educate themselves. Even though children who learned materials together, teacher would show it unfamiliar.
        In my view, the core competency that can help me to change the issue of the article is the "Social Responsibility". I believe that Social Responsibility is more likely to relate in this article because like I examined and analyzed the article I have come to the conclusion that the teacher lacked  the  understanding the differences that exist in the world. I think good and successful educator knows what is good for her children to success in future as one group. As a future educator I will never let economic status, behavior and appearance influence my classroom environment and to group children by this criteria. First of all the teacher in these articles has to be taught about the differences around the world and she has to learn or understand that everyone is different and unique in their own way. We live in a society where everyone is different from each other and educators should keep this in mind that children as well come from different countries or families learn in many different ways. Education is the most important part of the children's lives that takes them to their future as well opens up the opportunities in life. This teacher from the article should learn how differences in the classroom can help her students achieve success and she should understand that not everyone is homogeneous. 
        In my field class I have never seen that teacher label her students by the tables, or how they learn. So far I learned that children in the classroom choose or win like a lottery their seats every month. The teacher would hold the bag filled with the table number and each child will choose a new seat by getting the table number which they will sit for the month. I like her strategy of doing it because each month children have different seat and they are seated with different students around them. Also my teacher never grouped her students as fast learners or slow learners. 
          In conclusion, I believe teaching is a strong power that one can have. As an educators we always should keep in mind children learn in many different ways and when stepping in school environment teachers always should meet the needs of the children. No matter how different children are we should always be equal to all of children in the classroom.