Critical Project #3

Gollinick (2008) stated that prejudice and discrimination stems from a combination of several factors related to us and them. To get teachers and administrators to really understand and confront their own prejudices they will have to reflect within themselves and point out their issues surrounding their hatred. They have to try to overcome what is causing them to discriminate against a learner. Especially when it is their duty to perform with the utmost respect in the educational institution. In a educational institution setting teachers and administrators are to be leaders and if they are out of place there should be rules and regulations to support this idea. As an teacher and administrator you have to be on top of all sort of information and considered all learners when it comes to being leaders in and out of the classroom. Leaders have to be identified as well as to be well establish because a person can be a teacher and a administrator and not necessarily be able to be a lead. It is very important to distinguish between the ability to perform and lead the duty of teaching and attending and carry out important functions for learners. These require a lot of knowledge and skills and have to be carry out in a very diplomatic way. In functions of a educational facility all prejudice and differences has to be put aside. However, it is also vital that it should be determine that a teacher and administrator are capable of learning and projecting leadership skills and qualities. Where they have to demonstrate certain potential of supporting leadership. These potentials are:

o Partnership and Voice
o Vision and Values
o Knowledge and Audacious
o Savvy and Persistence

•Personal qualities (passion, humor, and empathy strength of character, general maturity, patience, wisdom, common sense, trustworthiness, reliability, creativity, sensitivity) .
If a individual possess these before they are hired to be teachers and administrators a lot of the issues surrounding teacher and administrators abusing the learners would not be so much of an issue.
I came across an article from NAPTA (National Association for Prevention of Teacher Abuse) that states that granted, not all teachers have good intentions, but I would venture to say that the majority of people, who choose teaching with its low paying salary, do so to make a difference (NAPTA 2002). They come to teaching with love in their hearts, soon becoming lifeless bodies, going through the motions. What I get from this statement is that the teachers and administrators take on these positions in our education institutions to make a change and when they get the position they are stun because they actually realize the time and dedication that are needed by learners. So they get frustrated and tired with providing services for these learners so in the process whatever negative ideas that they have about races, nationality, sex, gender, religion, etc. become evident. To rectify these issues I believe that the educational institutions should have seminars and workshops that are mandatory to attend, before employment and annually to evaluate where the teachers and administrators mind are on a lot of the issues surrounding the learners and the education institution. There should also be a psychological exam probably every three years because of the work load and tension that these administrators and teachers have on a daily basis interacting with each other and learners. Finally I will implement days in which interaction among teacher, administrators and learners can communicate and learn about each other whether it is through a gift exchanges, mentor programs or just buddy programs. In conclusion, prejudices stems from our beliefs of others and my opinion on teachers and administrator prejudice is that if they have issues try to avoid areas where they would have to project inequity. Or seek some type of help from a psychologist or some individual who will help them to raise their tolerance level; taking a deep look at these issues through a different lens.





Reference



Gollnick, D. M., & Chinn, P. C. (2008). Multicultural education in a pluralistic society (8th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill / Pearson



National Association of Prevention of Teacher Abuse (2002). Teacher prejudice: The Cement that buries. Retrieved September 28, 2009, from NAPTA. Website: http://www.endteacherabuse.info/prejudic.html