The homework for tonight was to read "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara. The plot of the story focuses on poor children who take a field trip to F.A.O. Schwartz with Miss Moore, the only person on their block to have a college education.
What I thought was really interesting about this story was that it not only tied into the unit we are studying (theme) but it also was a lesson within a lesson. In the story, the children learn about the pecuniary (vocab word!!) differences that society can portray. However, the attitude difference between Miss Moore and the children teaches the reader a lesson as well. I was also shocked to see how cunning and disrespectful the children were. Even though they aren't rich and they dislike the idea of earning an education, they should know not to disrespect people older than them. Economic status does not determine humanity, and the children were holding a grudge against Miss Moore and not wanting to "give her the satisfaction" just because she was smarter than them. I think it's clear that the narrator was extremely disrespectful, perhaps due to intimidation or because Miss Moore doesn't represent authority.
Ironically I also learned a lesson after reading "Lessons." I am a peer tutor in a Sophomore English class, and I know that a lot of the kids in that class are either poor or just not motivated to learn. When I try to engage them in small groups, they completely ignore me. This story helped me understand why. I understand that some of the kids may not see me as an authority figure because I am only two years older than them. Other kids may think I am intimidating because I am a lot smarter than them. After reading this story, I am more aware of the reasons behind the students' behavior.
Overall, this story was unique in that it showed the dynamic between to types of people in two ways. It shows the differences between the rich and poor, and educated and non-educated. I will definitely try to apply more of what I learned in my peer tutor class and in life in general!
What I thought was really interesting about this story was that it not only tied into the unit we are studying (theme) but it also was a lesson within a lesson. In the story, the children learn about the pecuniary (vocab word!!) differences that society can portray. However, the attitude difference between Miss Moore and the children teaches the reader a lesson as well. I was also shocked to see how cunning and disrespectful the children were. Even though they aren't rich and they dislike the idea of earning an education, they should know not to disrespect people older than them. Economic status does not determine humanity, and the children were holding a grudge against Miss Moore and not wanting to "give her the satisfaction" just because she was smarter than them. I think it's clear that the narrator was extremely disrespectful, perhaps due to intimidation or because Miss Moore doesn't represent authority.
Ironically I also learned a lesson after reading "Lessons." I am a peer tutor in a Sophomore English class, and I know that a lot of the kids in that class are either poor or just not motivated to learn. When I try to engage them in small groups, they completely ignore me. This story helped me understand why. I understand that some of the kids may not see me as an authority figure because I am only two years older than them. Other kids may think I am intimidating because I am a lot smarter than them. After reading this story, I am more aware of the reasons behind the students' behavior.
Overall, this story was unique in that it showed the dynamic between to types of people in two ways. It shows the differences between the rich and poor, and educated and non-educated. I will definitely try to apply more of what I learned in my peer tutor class and in life in general!
I like that you're making real life connections to things we're reading about in our literature. Socioeconomic is a very complex issue, but I think it explains a lot of the issues that we sometimes wrongfully try to attribute to race, ethnicity, geography, etc. The priorities and perspectives shaped by poverty are sometimes really difficult to understand or explain if you don't come from that sort of background. So, it's always important to be aware of how those issues might affect your interactions. I'd just warn you not to make assumptions. I've known very disrespectful and very apathetic students from extremely privileged backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteYes, I definitely agree that this issue is complex. Initially, I selected Peer Tutoring because I had a heavy course load and I thought it would be one of my easier classes. While I don't have any homework in that class, I do get a grade for it, so I'm always trying to respect the boundaries of the students. I will certainly take your advice in the future. Thank you! :)
Delete