Prompt 4: Alan Johnson

When I arrived at Mrs. Rose’s classroom I had no set expectations or ideas. I was not sure what I was getting myself into but I knew that whatever it was, I would face it as it came. Growing up in a Puerto Rican step family, I was very familiar with the Spanish culture and language and I figured I would be working with some Spanish students at my school. I feel like if I was put as the teacher of Mrs. Rose’s classroom I may be able to more easily relate to her students than she can for the simple reason that I grew up in a Spanish speaking household.

Everyone has their own ideas on subjects. While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, it is important within the classroom that it stays a neutral, bias free zone. This means that the teacher may have his or her own opinion on a topic yet does not force their opinion on that of the students. They should be entitled to make their own judgements. I do feel as if Mrs. Rose does not force her opinions on her students but she does make her opinion known, leaving the rest up to the students so they make their own decisions. This leaves room for open discussions and a participatory classroom. While Mrs. Rose may have a completely different opinion than her students she still allows them to be voiced and heard. This is extremely important in a classroom. I feel as if Mrs. Rose could however do a better job of integrating her students ethnic backgrounds into the classes curriculum. Maybe instead of teaching all of her vocabulary words in English she could teach them in Spanish as well, an ethnicity that is incredibly prevalent at my school. The idea of bias can be related back to theorist Alan Johnson who talked mainly of the segregation in our school systems that still go on today.

Johnson’s article discusses the idea that many whites in todays society like to use the phrase that goes something along the lines of “I don’t see color”. Johnson says within “Our House Is on Fire”, “when confronted with such a reality, many whites are quick to dismiss, deny, and defend against it. It isn’t true, they say, or it’s not that bad, not anymore, or it isn’t my fault, or I’m so sick of hearing about this. But in fact, it is true, and it is that bad, and it doesn’t matter whose fault it is” (4). If everyone in this world would just accept the fact that there is bias and there always will be, maybe we can begin to change.