Deficit thinking is the central topic under study in module four. Jupp (2013) writes, “life and teacher story interviews provided pages upon pages that discussed structural understandings of student differences, yet in a contradictory turn, teachers retained deficit understandings of students as well” (p. 106). Firstly, these structural understandings that Jupp (2013) describes, can be understood as “differences [that] exist in relation of historical and social center and margins” (p. 57). If we look at the social and historical centers in America we can see them as a hegemonic center that has evolved out of western European culture and institutions (Jupp, 2013, p. 57). This in and of itself, is an understanding that many white classroom teachers are able to recognize. Moreover, the idea that schooling is a structured political activity that “over-determines ‘successes’ of those already privileged and celebrates ‘bootstrap stories’ of students who occasionally succeed in a system rigged in favor of the privileged” is something that, in Jupp’s research, came to be recognized in the eyes of a predominately white teaching force (Jupp, 2013, p. 57). However, the challenge remaining, is that while the structures can be seen and understood, the majority culture classroom teacher still often displays contradictory and deficit views in regards to the minority culture. Deficit thinking can take on many different forms, and of course, varies regarding the cultural background and learning needs of the students.
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In “Reproducing and Interrupting Subtractive Schooling in Teacher Education,” Gainer & Larrotta (2010) examined the apprehensive thinking of pre-service teacher candidates in regards to working with English language learners (p. 41). In a similar vein to Jupp’s life history methods, Gainer & Larrotta (2010) used a narrative format to explore what they deemed as “interruptions” in the thinking of novice educators, which could provide for reflective learning opportunities for the candidates (p. 2). One such examples was the experience of a pre-service math educator whose main goal in teacher prep was to learn how to teach his content of mathematics, but later came to understand that it was valuable to incorporate English language learning into his instruction, otherwise he would not break the communication barrier and reach his students (Gainer & Larrotta, 2010, p. 45). Issues of race differences and urban education environments presents another area where dangerous deficit thinking permeates. Milner (2008) summarizes deficit thinking in urban education writing: “This line of thinking can be inadvertently counterproductive to the success of those in urban education because a primary goal of education from such negative perspectives is to remediate and ‘catch up’ students in urban contexts with those who appear to be more ‘successful’ rather than to focus on some of the positive characteristics of those in the spaces and rather than focusing on structural and bureaucratic factors that can make a difference in how urban spaces and those in them are conceptualized, analyzed, and studied” (p. 1574). To synthesize Milner’s analysis of deficit thinking with this reflection, I think one can take away how the importance of context and deeply rooted relational understandings can better evaluate and analyze students in their context. …show more content…
Moreover, as Jupp (2013) describes in his concluding chapter, a narrative of “relationality...presents teachers’ needs for direct relationships with students, families, communities, and social agencies” (p. 105). In my understanding, through deeply ingrained relationships one can take away powerful information on the life and needs of the learner which can be instrumental in providing a clearer picture of the incidental. Moreover, a snapshot of the individual students’ life and how it can be critically evaluated towards the overall structures without placing undue blame on the student or their family and likewise draw incorrect conclusions. This also provides a good point of transition for exploring the methods of combating such deficit thinking. From my perspective, in order to combat deficit thinking, teachers have to take an active approach to building a relationship with their students in order to truly understand where they are coming from. Milner (2008) provides some great recommendations for working in urban schools. One initial standout recommendation was for teachers to “immerse themselves in students’ worlds,” whereby “[they] attempt to understand what it means to live int he world of their students through music, film, and pop culture” (p. 1596). In other reflections this semester I have touched on this type of immersion and
In “Reproducing and Interrupting Subtractive Schooling in Teacher Education,” Gainer & Larrotta (2010) examined the apprehensive thinking of pre-service teacher candidates in regards to working with English language learners (p. 41). In a similar vein to Jupp’s life history methods, Gainer & Larrotta (2010) used a narrative format to explore what they deemed as “interruptions” in the thinking of novice educators, which could provide for reflective learning opportunities for the candidates (p. 2). One such examples was the experience of a pre-service math educator whose main goal in teacher prep was to learn how to teach his content of mathematics, but later came to understand that it was valuable to incorporate English language learning into his instruction, otherwise he would not break the communication barrier and reach his students (Gainer & Larrotta, 2010, p. 45). Issues of race differences and urban education environments presents another area where dangerous deficit thinking permeates. Milner (2008) summarizes deficit thinking in urban education writing: “This line of thinking can be inadvertently counterproductive to the success of those in urban education because a primary goal of education from such negative perspectives is to remediate and ‘catch up’ students in urban contexts with those who appear to be more ‘successful’ rather than to focus on some of the positive characteristics of those in the spaces and rather than focusing on structural and bureaucratic factors that can make a difference in how urban spaces and those in them are conceptualized, analyzed, and studied” (p. 1574). To synthesize Milner’s analysis of deficit thinking with this reflection, I think one can take away how the importance of context and deeply rooted relational understandings can better evaluate and analyze students in their context. …show more content…
Moreover, as Jupp (2013) describes in his concluding chapter, a narrative of “relationality...presents teachers’ needs for direct relationships with students, families, communities, and social agencies” (p. 105). In my understanding, through deeply ingrained relationships one can take away powerful information on the life and needs of the learner which can be instrumental in providing a clearer picture of the incidental. Moreover, a snapshot of the individual students’ life and how it can be critically evaluated towards the overall structures without placing undue blame on the student or their family and likewise draw incorrect conclusions. This also provides a good point of transition for exploring the methods of combating such deficit thinking. From my perspective, in order to combat deficit thinking, teachers have to take an active approach to building a relationship with their students in order to truly understand where they are coming from. Milner (2008) provides some great recommendations for working in urban schools. One initial standout recommendation was for teachers to “immerse themselves in students’ worlds,” whereby “[they] attempt to understand what it means to live int he world of their students through music, film, and pop culture” (p. 1596). In other reflections this semester I have touched on this type of immersion and