Video Analysis

 Teach Us All Movie - 

• Minority kids not getting the education they need

• A poor student who can’t read a level 3rd are 3x more likely to fail in high school

• The little rock nine are the first to try to de-segregate schools

• The crowds and mobs of people to to intervene and stop the little nine

• They use makeshift weapons 

• Trying to stop the movement

• President Eisenhower sent the military to protect the little nine and become a presented moment 

• Erstest green is the first black student to graduate

• 50% of black students didn’t get an option to continue school, only accommodate the affluent/white students

• In 2014, their still an achievement gap between the primary and poor students

• The district keep biding time arguing and not doing anything to help the students

• Poor students get the the rough part of town while the other 97% of white students are more likely to the better part of town

• Baseline academy got a new principle who is new to the job that will help staff and students to become the best version of themselves

• Helping the lower income students to gain what they normally get 

• “The fact that we can build equity schools…is not happening”

• We haven't seen the resolve that president Eisenhower in a long time

• New York city is the most diverse cities, but is also the most segregated cities in the country

• Double segregation, race = income

• Schools are more competitive then Harvard, making more likely for the affluent/white students to get in then the minority students

• When affluent/white people move into cities with minorities, making the the schools privilege 

• Having white students help schools financially 

• It’s evident that scanners doesn’t make schools safer, it just push racism farther

• Real change happen for the students are the ones who lead it

• A Mexican families fought to get equal rights for their children to go to the same schools as white children

• 4-5% of black and Latino students are in high-achieving schools

• Triple Segregation, race + income + Language 

• Language barriers students get pushed aside instead helping them achieve and by pushing them them aside will not be ready for college

• Black and Latino students are look at the problems in schools and said their more likely to go to jail

• Grossly ineffective teachers are teachers who doesn’t bother to treat students with care, remembering names, and picking favorites

Classroom Tour -

Low-Inference Notes (Notes & Observations)

• Classrooms are well-organized
• A decorated board to show simple rules in a classroom and using computers
• Having helpful notes/papers of the curriculum around the class
• Class schedule
• Tables are in groups

High-Inference Notes (Reflection & Connection)

• I feel the classroom tables are set up for students to socialize and manage them easier
• "Kohn won’t like posters, but Delpit will.”

• The way the classroom is decorated with rules and notes shows the teacher values structure and communication — it reminds me of Delpit’s idea that students need clear expectations and guidance to succeed.

• Having the curriculum papers and class schedule visible helps make learning transparent, which connects to Kohn’s idea of giving students ownership and understanding of what they’re learning, not just telling them what to do.

• Group tables suggest the teacher believes in collaboration and peer learning, which connects to culturally relevant pedagogy by encouraging students to learn from each other’s experiences and build community.

Precious Knowledge -

Low-Inference

• The video takes place in Tucson, Arizona, where Mexican-American Studies (MAS) is being taught.

• Students are sitting in a circle, discussing issues about identity and history.

• Teachers encourage students to share their thoughts and experiences.

• Students read books by authors like Paulo Freire and Chicano writers.

• There’s footage of students marching and protesting the ban on ethnic studies.

• One teacher says, “Education should be about liberation.”

• Students seem very engaged, laughing and clapping during class.

• The school board debates whether the program is “divisive.”

• Some politicians argue that the curriculum promotes resentment.

• The students express that the program helped them feel proud of their culture and want to graduate.

High-Inference

• The students’ voices show what Delpit means by “empowering students through culture,” where learning is tied to identity and respect.

• The MAS program represents culturally relevant pedagogy — it builds lessons around students’ cultural backgrounds to help them think critically.

• When teachers encourage discussion circles, it reminds me of Freire’s “dialogue” — learning as conversation instead of top-down instruction.

• The resistance to the program reflects systemic bias — how schools sometimes silence non-dominant voices (like Delpit’s “silenced dialogue”).

• Students saying the class made them “want to graduate” connects to the asset-based model: seeing students’ strengths, not deficits.

• The protest scenes show how education is political — Kohn would agree that real learning challenges power, not just memorizes facts.

• The whole video connects to social justice teaching — showing how representation in the classroom can change students’ lives.

Blog Post #2 - Khan and Short History of American School

 After reading Khan’s Chapter 2: The Broken Model and watching A Short History of American Schooling, I started thinking a lot about how our education system was built and why so much of it still feels outdated today. Both the reading and the video made me realize that schools haven’t really changed much from the past — they still follow a system that was made to control, separate, and measure students instead of helping them grow.

In Khan’s reading, he talks about how schools were designed to create “obedient workers” rather than creative thinkers. That part stood out to me because I’ve seen that same pattern in my own school experiences. We’re told to follow rules, meet standards, and memorize facts, but not really encouraged to think deeply or question things. It made me realize how broken the model really is — it’s built around control instead of curiosity.

The video connected perfectly with that idea. It showed how American schooling started during the industrial era, where students were basically treated like factory workers — everyone doing the same thing, at the same time, in the same way. That image really stuck with me. It made me think about how that same system still exists today: tests, bells, grades, and ranking students as if learning can be measured by numbers.

Both Khan and the video made me question what kind of teacher I want to be. I don’t want my classroom to feel like an assembly line where students just complete work to get a grade. I want it to feel alive — creative, open, and meaningful. Especially as someone who plans to teach English and Theatre, I want students to use imagination, storytelling, and discussion to learn about themselves and the world.

Overall, One thing Khan mentioned that I really liked was the idea of focusing on mastery rather than memorization. That’s something I want to apply in my teaching, giving students time to actually understand and explore, not just rush through lessons to move on to the next thing. Both the reading and the video made me realize how much needs to change in education. The system may be old and broken, but as future teachers, we have a chance to make classrooms feel human again — a place where students can think, create, and be themselves.

Blog Post #1 - Allan Johnson

After reading Allan Johnson’s piece, I started thinking a lot about how privilege works in everyday life, especially in schools. Before this reading, I didn’t fully realize how deep privilege runs or how often people avoid talking about it. Johnson made me see that privilege isn’t just about having more money or power — it’s about how society is built to favor certain groups, and how that affects everyone, even the people who don’t notice it.

One thing that really stood out to me was when Johnson said that people often stay silent about privilege because they don’t want to feel guilty or blamed. That hit me, because I’ve seen that same reaction in real life — when people get uncomfortable talking about race or inequality, they change the subject instead of learning from it. Johnson makes it clear that staying silent keeps the system the same, and that made me think about how teachers can either challenge that silence or continue it.

As a future teacher, I want to be someone who helps students see and talk about these things. I don’t want my classroom to be a place that ignores difference — I want it to be a place where students feel safe bringing their full selves. Johnson’s writing reminded me that teaching for social justice isn’t just about being kind, it’s about being aware. It’s about paying attention to who gets left out and doing something about it.

There was another part where Johnson mentioned that privilege is like “an invisible weightless knapsack” people carry without realizing it. That line really made sense to me, because it’s not something people show off — it’s something built into the system. It made me think about how students from different backgrounds might experience school differently. Some might feel confident just being there, while others feel like they have to prove they belong. That’s something I want to be aware of when I’m teaching.

Overall, this reading made me think more deeply about the kind of teacher I want to become. Johnson helped me understand that awareness is the first step to change — and as future educators, we can’t fix what we refuse to see.

Blog Post #7 - Kohn and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

After reading Alfie Kohn’s What to Look for in a Classroom and watching Introduction to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, I started thinking more about what kind of classroom I want to have one day. Both made me realize that teaching isn’t just about giving out lessons or grades — it’s about creating a space where students feel comfortable, respected, and involved in what they’re learning.

Kohn talked about how classrooms should focus more on thinking instead of just working quietly. That part really stood out to me because I’ve been in a lot of classes where quiet meant “good behavior,” but not real learning. I like how Kohn wants teachers to let students ask questions, share ideas, and take ownership of their learning. It made me think about how I want to teach English and Theatre — not by having students just follow directions, but by letting them explore, express themselves, and understand why the lesson matters.

The video on culturally relevant pedagogy connected perfectly with that. What stood out most was the idea that students’ backgrounds, culture, and experiences should be part of the learning, not something ignored. I liked when Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings said that culturally relevant teaching isn’t just about adding culture, but using it to empower students. That really stuck with me because it reminds me that every student has a story, and as teachers, we have to value that.

Both Kohn and the video made me realize how important it is to give students a voice. They shouldn’t feel like school is just a place where they listen — it should be a place where they’re heard and seen. As a future teacher, I want my classroom to be open and creative, where students can connect what they learn to their own lives. Whether it’s through writing, acting, or storytelling, I want them to feel like they belong and that their voice matters.

Overall, both the reading and the video made me think about how I want to teach differently — to make my classroom a place that’s about curiosity, culture, and connection.

Blog Post #6

 After reading Lisa Delpit’s The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children, I noticed and took three direct quotes that I think show the power of how schools and classrooms are not just neutral spaces—they carry rules, expectations, and cultures that shape how students learn and succeed.

Quote #1: “Issues of power are enacted in classrooms. There are codes or rules for participating in power; that is, there is a ‘culture of power.’ The rules of the culture of power are a reflection of the rules of the culture of those who have power.”

The first quote she mentions makes me think about how the classroom is built around certain expectations, usually from those in charge or from the dominant culture. As a student, I’ve seen how some people already know these “codes” while others have to catch up, not because they’re less capable, but because no one explained the rules to them.

Quote #2: “Those with power are frequently least aware of — or least willing to acknowledge — its existence. Those with less power are often most aware of its existence.”

The second quote hits harder, because it reminds me that people in power, like teachers, administrators, or even people in society, sometimes don’t notice how much control they actually have. Meanwhile, the students who feel powerless notice those differences every single day. That gap in awareness creates silence, like Delpit says, because the ones most affected often don’t get to shape the conversation. 

Quote #3: “If you are not already a participant in the culture of power, being told explicitly the rules of that culture makes acquiring power easier.”

The last quote she talks about really shows the solution: don’t keep the rules hidden. If students don’t know what the expectations are, they can’t succeed. But if teachers are clear and open about those expectations, then students actually have the chance to step into that culture of power.

Overall, Delpit made me realize that power in education is not about taking control, but about opening doors. Teachers need to guide students by making the hidden rules visible, while also respecting where students come from. That’s how real dialogue and real learning can happen.

Blog Post #5

    After reading Christine E. Sleeter, Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies A Research Review, I couldn’t help but connecting her points to my own experiences as a student and as someone who is learning how education shapes identity.

Quote #1: “Whites continue to receive the most attention and appear in the widest variety of roles, dominating story lines and lists of accomplishments. African Americans, the next most represented racial group, appear in a more limited range of roles and usually receive only a sketchy account historically, being featured mainly in relationship to slavery.”

In the first quote, it states how textbooks and school lessons often spotlight white figures, leaving others in the background. I saw this growing up in school—most of what we learned was about the same “great men” of history, but rarely did we dive deep into Latin American stories, or even stories from Central America where my own family roots are. That absence makes me realize how much representation matters, because when you don’t see yourself, it’s easy to feel like your history doesn’t count.

Quote #2: “Ethnic studies scholarship by and about racial minority groups presents a different narrative that is shaped partially by histories of oppression in the U.S. as well as by the intellectual and cultural resources and traditions of those communities.”

In the second quote, Sleeter explains how ethnic studies gives students access to a different narrative—one that tells fuller, richer stories. I think about how much I’ve learned outside the classroom, through family stories or even researching on my own about Guatemala and Latin America. That knowledge feels empowering because it fills in the gaps left by school. Ethnic studies would make that empowerment available to everyone, not just those who go looking for it on their own.

Quote #3: “By the time they reach high school, students of color are not only aware of a Euro-American bias in curriculum, but they can describe it in some detail, and view it as contributing to their disengagement.”

In the third quote, Sleeter shows how students eventually notice the bias and how it turns them off from school. I’ve felt that frustration too, where it’s hard to stay interested in lessons that don’t reflect anything about my culture or experiences. That disengagement is real, and I see why so many students of color start to feel like school isn’t built for them.

Overall, this reading made me reflect on how important it is to bring diverse voices into the classroom. If I want to become the kind of teacher I imagine, I need to make sure my students see themselves in the stories we study. It’s not just about filling in history—it’s about giving students pride, connection, and a reason to engage.

Blog Post #4

 After reading Shannon Renkly & Katherine Bertolini,  Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit Oriented Schools to Asset Based Models: Why Leaders Need to Promote an Asset Orientation in our Schools. I noticed how they highlight the difference between seeing students for what they “lack” versus what they bring to the table.

Quote #1: “When working from a deficit perspective, the practices and assumptions that emerge tend to cover up the abilities of students and teachers (Weiner, 2006). On the other hand, an asset model, or abundance model, focuses on what a student can do: their strengths, skills, talents, interests, and competencies (Alber, 2013; Rose, 2006). (pp. 24)”

In the first Quote, she states that deficit thinking hides what students are actually capable of. I’ve experienced this myself in school when teachers assumed I wasn’t “good” at something just because I struggled in one area. It almost felt like my other strengths didn’t matter. Reading this made me realize how powerful it is when a teacher notices what you can do, instead of only pointing out what you can’t.

Quote #2: “According to Scales (1999), when schools shed their deficit model, it becomes easier for the community to become involved. Oftentimes, community members become overwhelmed when all they hear are the problems that adolescents have. When the focus shifts to assets, community members can easily work together to build up and nurture positive attributes in youth. (pp. 25)”

In the second quote, I connect this to my own community. When the conversation is always about problems, it makes people less motivated to help. But when the focus shifts to positive qualities, it creates energy and hope. I’ve seen this happen when working with peers—if we recognize each other’s skills, we naturally want to collaborate. It makes me think of schools and communities really can grow stronger when they stop labeling kids as “deficient” and start celebrating what they bring.

Quote #3: “Scales (1999) sums up the vision of asset focused schools by stating, “If we surround young people with respect and love, help them safely explore their talents, interests, and values, give them chances to make a difference in their families, schools, and communities, we’re metaphorically letting them jump into our arms” (p.119). No matter how old a child is, they all need adults that are willing to mentor them, catch them if they fall, and encourage them to get back up and try again. This can only be done with an asset model. (pp. 26) ”

In the third quote, I love the image of “letting them jump into our arms.” It reminds me of times when mentors in my life supported me even when I stumbled. Having that kind of encouragement makes you want to try again and push forward. That’s the kind of teacher I want to be—someone who sees the best in students and helps them believe in themselves, even when they fail.

Overall, this reading showed me how important it is to build classrooms on assets, not deficits. When students feel recognized for their talents and strengths, they’re more willing to grow. And honestly, that’s what school should be about.