Misconceptions of African American life Essay -- essays papers

Misconceptions of African American life â€Å"When you control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his "proper place" and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary.† This quote, spoken true by a prominent African American scholar of the 20th century, Carson Woodson, is aimed at shedding light on the inherent miseducation of African Americans. His beliefs that controlling one’s thinking with such a powerful grasp that allows little or no movement will lead to that individual behaving as he is expected is a very justifiable point. If time and time again, one is told to do certain things or believe certain things as â€Å"right†, then with constant repetition and enforcement, widespread belief and acceptance of this idea or practice will become the norm. A people that is consistently taught or treated a certain way may at some point begin to accept it â€Å"right.† However, in many cases what may be deemed â€Å"right† by some is not necessarily the â€Å"right† thing to do. This theory can not be any more prominent than in the case of African Americans, who have long endured hundreds of years of discriminator y practices based solely upon their race and origins. Dating back to the days of slavery, these are a people that out of prejudice, out of expectations, out of fear, have often come to view the white man’s way as the â€Å"right† way either by choice or by having no other choice. In the process, however, their very own culture, beauty, beliefs, traditions, etc., often get trampled upon or even forgotten as they either struggle to keep up or struggle to stay up. More then not, though, this â€Å"brainwashing† of sorts results in a â€Å"miseducation† of the African-American people that often leads to widespread misunderstandings about them. These misunderstandings can then lead to various forms of stereotypes aimed against African-Americans by whites or other non African Americans picked up along the way due to incomplete knowledge about their history which inherently also hurt those making these false assumptions. Times are changing, however, and wit h these evolutionary years comes a greater sense of struggle to understand. ... ...African Americans by white Americans must be thoroughly examined from both sides as they are equally deep-rooted among each group. In addition, I personally feel that with more and more of these investigations of the miseducation of the races can lead to a better understanding of each. It is not just the fact of the acknowledging the existence of miseducation that will help people to understand African Americans better and more realistically. It is up to both whites and blacks alike to make conscious efforts to ignore stereotypes and seek only truths in answering questions about the races. If the problem of miseducation is not properly addressed equally by all sides, the problem can never be fully understood or solved. Miseducation benefits no one. It harms all involved by spreading unsubstantiated opinions for norms or forcing actions based upon fear and ill will. Truth is hidden, and innocent people get hurt or mislead in the process. It is up to today’s younger g enerations of American citizens to wake up, realize the vast racial miseducation that currently exists, and start treating others with the dignity and respect earned automatically in their being born human beings.

Best/Worst Teacher

Dear Mrs. Jane: My name is Jessica Smith, I was a 5th grade student of yours in during the 1996/1997 school year. At that time you may have known me as Jessica Cuevas. I am now in college pursuing a career in teaching. Recently I have been asked to write a letter to my favorite teacher and you were the first to pop in mind. Till this day I can think back and remember sitting in your class the first day of school, your desk and chalkboard outlined   with your collection of trolls! I knew right then that you were going to be a fun teacher.I remember being confused because there was no wall separating us from the the other classroom (Mrs. Sue’s 5th grade class), yet excited to hear what it was all about. Before attending your class I wasn't very engaged in learning or going to school, I didn't have many friends, I had just moved to town the year before. As soon as that day ended I went home eager to return to school the next day, and this feeling never changed for the whole yea r. You were always smiling, and very energetic when you interacted with our class.When you would explain our assignments you would get us excited and make it into a competition with our neighboring class. The marbles in the Jar, oh.. how i loved this on going game. The winning class had an option to pick from many random prizes. My favorite was the half day reading parties. We would bring our pillows and blankets from home and for the first half of the day we would read, and the second half we could play board games, listen to music, or watch movies. I was always motivated to do my best and to try my hardest,   in order to win the marbles.You had many ways of keeping me excited,motivated and interested in going to school. You opened my eyes to a fun,creative learning environment. You made feel like a friend and not just some student. I hope to someday be able to inspire students as you have inspired me. Thank you for making a wonderful impact so early in my life. I will carry thos e values throughout my teaching career. Sincerely, Jessica Smith Worst Teacher Letter Dear Mr. John: Teaching is not for everyone.I can understand how teaching high school students can be annoying and frustrating at times. We have multiple mood swings, and are trying to figure out how to fit in, however i don't feel that we should be ignored or treated like robots with no feeling. School should be a place we feel comfortable to go to on a daily bases, teachers should always be someone we can talk to and ask questions . From the very first day of class you came across as very strict and rude. You gave us one direction that we were to follow each and every day for the rest of the school year.That was to always bring our book to class, outline the chapter, answer the questions to the chapter, and do the written essay at the end of the chapter, everything should be completed and placed on your desk as we walked out. We were not to talk, get out of our seats or ask questions. No exceptio ns! Zero tolerance you made sure to get that point across. One day I forgot my book at home, I felt intimidated to go to class not knowing how you would react, other teachers would have just let me share with another classmate but not you.You made me stand in front of the classroom the whole period holding the eraser against the chalkboard. It was pretty humiliating, on the bright side of things I never forgot my book again. Every day was the same thing, just a different chapter. You wouldn't even greet us when we walked thru the door, we would just sit and get started. You sat at your desk reading books,newspaper, and magazines while never acknowledging us. How could you call yourself a teacher I always wondered? I strongly wish you have changed your ways, and rediscover the passion for teaching I hope you once had.Sincerely, Jessica Smith Why the Profession? At age eleven my family began to do foster care. We always had two or four kids ranging from newborns to teenagers. All the children came from broken house holds, many exposed to drugs, abuse and neglect. They all seemed to share the same qualities low self esteem, trouble trusting, adjusting ,adapting, and staying focused in school. They needed someone to love and care for them. All these frustrations and unhappiness caused many of them to have behavioral problems.My mother opened her heart to help them with all these issues, having the patience to teach them values and principles,bonding and investing genuine love and care for these children. As I grew older I began to notice the impact we as a family where making in these kids lives. I contributed in every way I could to try to help. At this point in life I knew I wanted to work with children. I have always been the creative type, I love all forms of art. I attended the Fashion institute of Design and Merchandise, and while I was there I realized that all my best projects and assignments were aimed   towards children.Any time I could pick my target audience it would be children. Children is what I know, they influence and inspire me. I   realized   that children are my passion. This is why I chose this profession. I see myself teaching kindergarten or first grade. I want to be the first to plant the seed. I want kids to enjoy learning by allowing them to explore in creative ways. Teaching them to share, and the basic fundamentals they will need for the future. Children this age group are the funnest to me, they have so many questions, they are craving to learn,seeking a new adventure every day.I want   to create an environment where they feel comfortable and inspired to learn. I also like the feeling of being needed, it gives me great satisfaction to be able to make a difference by simply being someone they can talk to, share their feelings and stories with, someone they can trust. You never know what kind of issues children have at home,for some kids school is a way to escape. I love to see children smile, laugh,clap an d get excited when they accomplish a new task. That alone brings me so much joy and keeps me motivated to be the best teacher I can be.

My Life With My Grandpa Essay - 938 Words

The crunch of frozen grass could be heard a mile away at five o’clock in the morning. My grandpa and I whispered conversation as we strolled over to our favorite deer blind. We cautiously marched over sticks trying hard not to make any sounds. We eventually made it without spooking any deer and set our guns down, waiting for sunrise. These are the times I enjoy the most with my grandpa. It is a chance to sit back and enjoy life with one of my favorite people on this planet. Time goes slower in these moments. It gives us a chance to share conversation about anything. We swap stories from the past and I always seem to learn something new from my grandpa. Whether it be from advice he gives me or from an experience long ago, I’m always listening. Although our experiences may be different we still love to enjoy the same hobbies together, whether it’s woodworking, hunting, or time out on the lake; sharing life with my grandpa is priceless. Ever since I was little I always enjoyed standing beside my grandpa as he worked on projects in his shop. The smell of sawdust and the sound of power tools sparked my curiosity. My grandpa has a history with woodworking. He worked on building boats for his job and he was very good at it. People often come to him and asks him for help building things and he for the most part takes on the job and does it well. I’ve watched him over the years build one Chris-Craft boat and another Thompson from basically scratch. Just recently aShow MoreRelatedMy Grandpa s Life With High Blood Pressure1470 Words   |  6 PagesMy grandpa was very healthy throughout his life. He lived in a small town where hospitals did not exist, they only had small medical clinics. My grandpa lived in the time where medical science was not advanced as much as it is today. People would die at an early age due to a lack of knowledge in medicine, but luckily my grandpa did not get sick. 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