The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies A Research Review By Christine E. Sleeter

 The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies A Research Review By Christine E. Sleeter

Reflection: 

After reading The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies a Research Review by Christine E. Sleeter it got me thinking about how little individuals of different ethnic backgrounds other than white individuals are represented in the school curriculum. This is a huge issue because it does not allow students of different backgrounds to incorporate in their learning during school creating inequality in their learning. When you think about what you have learned in history class you typically learn about the white male leaders in America however, you rarely learn about the African American or Native American leaders unless it is tied to slavery or immigration. When I was younger in school I remember learning about Christopher Colombus being the one who discovered America, however it was left out and barely talked about how the Indigenous population actually were the first individuals to live in America. In addition to this he enslaved native people by putting them through extreme violence and labor. This information has been surfacing more recently where as when I was in elementary school it was not nearly talked about enough. Instead we worship Christopher Colombus the white male who “discovered America”. However, this example I used was not the only one. There are many other leaders who have not been nearly recognized enough due to being African American, Native American, etc. This emphasises the need for using the Ethnic Studies approach so that it examines the perspectives that the stories are being told, race, racism, community identity, and cultural values. This incorporates every student into the school systems when learning and does not just recognize the white male leaders. This allows all students being able to make a connection with their life to what they are learning in schools encourages them to continue their journey in schooling. 

“Image from Chat Gpt: Prompt: create a graphic of how Christopher Columbus treated the indigenous population” 

  Questions/Comments/Concerns:

What are ways we can push ethnic studies in our classrooms? I would like to think of more ways as a young elementary school teacher of ways to incorporate these ethnic studies in my classroom so that every student feels connected and represented in my classroom.