As a teacher, I have walked the halls of education and seen many aspects of school dynamics that are occasionally fascinating and depressing. Bullying, gender discrimination, and subtractive schooling in the educational setting are rampant (Carlson, 2021). In my professional journey, I have observed how these problems converge and significantly affect our pupils’ lives. These vices mainly occur when one of the parties involved is considered to be superior to others. The party considered inferior ends up being demoralized, leading to low self-esteem and poor academic performance. Therefore, I explore my encounters with bullying, gender discrimination, and subtractive schooling in the educational setting in this reflective essay.
As described in these writings, subtractive schooling exposes a system that unintentionally takes away the cultural richness and identity of disadvantaged children, distancing them from their education and causing them to disengage. The book clarifies the negative impacts of curriculum standards and teaching methods that do not acknowledge and value the diversity of cultural backgrounds (Valenzuela, 2005). As a teacher, I have seen situations when the curriculum appeared disconnected from the real-world experiences of the pupils we teach, especially those from underserved populations. The required readings frequently needed more cultural context, which made students uninterested and unengaged. Students felt alienated, their potential was disregarded, and their voices were suppressed due to subtractive education, which we perpetuated by failing to include a variety of points of view and experiences in the curriculum.
Additionally, one of the texts effectively addresses the problem of gender oppression in educational environments by examining how male-dominated norms and practices permeate these establishments, maintaining unequal balances of power and limiting the opportunities available to female students (Valenzuela, 2005). I have seen subtle but widespread instances of gender discrimination in our school. The signs of gender inequity were everywhere, from discriminatory disciplinary measures to classroom activities that reinforced traditional gender norms. Even with deliberate attempts to advance gender parity, deeply embedded social standards frequently crept into our educational procedures, feeding the cycle of discrimination and impeding the development of a more welcoming atmosphere.
Furthermore, bullying is still a major problem in schools, having a significant impact on both the victims and the overall environment of the institution. To effectively address this widespread issue, one of the texts underlines the significance of comprehensive intervention procedures while highlighting the complex dynamics of bullying (Valenzuela, 2005). Throughout my tenure as a teacher, I have dealt with numerous instances of bullying, ranging from overt physical acts of violence to subtle mental manipulation. These incidents hurt those involved and produced a poisonous atmosphere that hampered every child’s growth and learning (Misco, 2021). A multidimensional strategy was needed to handle bullying and execute disciplinary penalties, including cultivating an environment of dignity, comprehension, and sympathy in the school environment.
In conclusion, by tying these experiences to the texts, it is clear how closely related larger societal institutions and ideas are to the problems of bullying, gender oppression, and subtractive schooling. The understandings gained from the texts provide a potent prism through which to examine and deal with these problematic issues facing the educational system. As a teacher, I am responsible for investigating, analyzing, and questioning the policies that support injustice and damage our education system. We may work to create a more equitable, encouraging, and empowering educational environment for all kids, supporting their overall development and achievement by appreciating diversity, promoting equality, and cultivating a community of inclusivity and empathy.
References
Carlson, D. (2021). Gender, Sexualities, and the New Authoritarian Populism in Education. The Curriculum Studies Reader. https://www.routledge.com/The-Curriculum-Studies-Reader/Flinders-Thornton/p/book/9780367648398
Misco, T. (2021). Rethinking Curriculum Reform for Controversial Topics in Post-Communist Settings. The Curriculum Studies Reader. https://www.routledge.com/The-Curriculum-Studies-Reader/Flinders-Thornton/p/book/9780367648398
Valenzuela, A. (2005). Subtractive schooling, caring relations, and social capital in the schooling of US-Mexican youth. Beyond silenced voices: Class, race, and gender in United States schools, 83-94. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=OsGr-nVCyKYC&oi=fnd&pg=PA83&dq=subtractive+schooling,caring+relations,+and+social+capital+in+the+schooling+of+US-Mexican+Youth&ots=ujpfi9M-Nj&sig=KQUeVm5dCHur27rfmd_H9LDExo4&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=subtractive%20schooling%2Ccaring%20relations%2C%20and%20social%20capital%20in%20the%20schooling%20of%20US-Mexican%20Youth&f=false
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