a friendly visit..

There is a positive thing about attending a Christian college and it is to see things from a Christian perspective ( an opportunity that not many people have). Two professors from the college visited our class and spoke on diversity.

They gave us the perspective of looking at our students in the way that God wants us to see them. We are called to see them with eyes of love—unconditional love.  He created them differently for a reason. We need them to survive. As a body of Christians, we each have a specific gift or contribution for others, when we learn to accept our students in that same manner, we will have a glimpse of what the kingdom will look likeJ

An interesting topic we stumbled across was the idea of stereotypes. Often times we see students of color and assume that they are less capable. We usually do not think twice about students who are Caucasian, but they also can come from impoverished homes. They can also come from homes in which their families have never gotten passed high school. It’s important to look all around and to take different precautions.

The aaronic blessing

God bless you and keep you,

God smile on you and gift you,


God look you full in the face
and make you prosper.

My concluding thoughts..

Noguera has definitely left his imprint in me in regards to our schooling system. First, he shows me some of the flaws that are often overlooked. Second, he shows me how to value and embrace the diversity of each student. Third, he gives me hope; there is hope to revolutionize the school systems.



Some of the topics Noguera talks about in his book revolve around immigration, failing students, peer-expectations, and lack of unity within a school district. Many of these I knew could affect our schools, but I never really put much thought into it before this book. There are so many external influences and internal influences that hinder our students from succeeding. Many times instead of figuring out the problems that may be occurring, we create assumptions. As teachers, I think that is one of the worst things we can do. We cannot assume a student is lazy. We need to dig deeper, ask questions and reassure the students that everything will work out for the good.


Something that I have noticed, especially now, is the way schools see diversity. Many times it is perceived negatively like "extra work." people have the tendency to blame low test scores on the fact that there are many students who are minorities, ESL students or live in a low socio-economic district. However, that is not a valid reason if enough time and effort are spent on these students. Diversity within our lives bring us closer together; it helps us see the greatness God has placed on this earth. I have received great encouragement from Noguera to embrace these differences and hope that it will last.



Lastly, after reading this book, I feel like I can conquer the world. Really. Lately I have been feeling as if what we do won't make a real difference. But we must remember that everything that we put effort into will not be immediately acknowledged or seen. It takes time; a lot of time. If we dream of revolution, then we must wait for revolution. One person/ state of mind at a time. Noguera reminds me to look beyond myslef and to look at the students. In the future I will know to buidl rapport with my students and also try to learn more about them in order to help them succeed. I should reassure them that race cannot define who they are.  I feel as if Noguera can read my thoughts/feelings and reassures me that I'm in the right place and that I'll be placed at the right place at the right time to make this difference.

The Schools We Need

In the final portion of the book titled, "The Schools We Need," Noguera discusses the need for schools that foster an environment in which students can succeed. He gives a the example of a principal in Berkley, California. What is amazing about this school, that has had the highest test scores in Berkeley, is that about 60% of the students are minorities or qualify for free/reduced lunch. Noguera says that the accomplishment is due teachers coming together and "work to ensure that students who are behind academically do not slip through the cracks."


So then what does it take to build a school that our society needs now a days? Noguera lists six essential elements that could help build high-performing schools. They are to share a common mission, vision, values and goals, to incorporate systems for prevention and interventions, there must be collaboration among staff to maintain a focus on teaching and learning, data must be used to guide decision making and continuous  improvement, have active engagement and participation of family  and community members, and finally have a commitment to building leadership capacity at all levels. Now that we have a list of ways to do this, is it possible?


The first thing that came into mind is a documentary titled "Waiting for Superman." It shows what is happening in our school systems: drop-outs, fail-outs and school closings. The documentary starts off with students giving an insight to what their personal lives look like. Then it shows model teachers that really do show an interest with the lives of their students. They go above and beyond than what most of us grew up with or are used to seeing. If we applied a more structured guideline to come together as a group of teachers and had one mindset, I believe that lives could really be changed.


Collaboration is a key that is so essential to the flourishment. As a resident assistant, I've been a first hand witness to how important it is to have many of those six components. They are essential for smooth sailings. I  believe that we can build this bridge between people. In one of my devotions, I read about peace not only being an inner feeling, but also a feeling of wholeness when addressing another peron. When we present ourselves to our collegues, it is essential to be at peace with one another.

the search for equity..

Children of Immigrants.

This was an issue that stood out to me from Noguera's second portion of the book. He says that the children of immigrant people are the ones that have it the hardest because they do not know what to expect from anyone. They have to balance academic life, social life, family life, etc. There are many students dropping out because everything is so new to them and no one takes the time to address their needs. Due to this, we have an astonishing problem with violence. Violence occurs across every board. Violence has been such an issue, that it no longer is a problem of the school, but a problem of society and the surrounding community.



This same idea of the turning over the schools to the government sounds a bit to familiar to what is going on in Chicago. In the month of February, the Chicago Public School Board approved 17 school closings in the Chicagoland area. When we look at issues like that I wonder if closing 17 schools really does benefit the students. Or is it just a temporary solution? I wonder about the gangs, and how they might now conflict if the schools students have to go to are in "rival territories." Will this affect violence? Will this affect the drop-out rate? Will this be blamed on the school? Will more schools get closed? All of these questions have the answer: "we make the difference."



 As teachers, we should ask ourselves, "What values am I instilling to make them want a better life?" Where do we emphasize the idea of justice? It is as if we let people get away with things for a long time and then expect them to change all of a sudden when we don't see it appropriate. In order to be just and show our love, we need to be proactive with the situation. As a Christian, I believe that everyone is made in the image of God. Thus, we must treat everyone we encounter as such, with love, respect, mercy, grace and forgiveness.



We make the difference. We build the self-esteem. We build community. We build acceptance of others. We build toleration. It all falls on us; not as individuals, but as a team.

student experiences..

Noguera points out this amazing concept called "less than." Noguera argues that many minority students suffer from this idea. This “less than” concept is exactly what it sounds like; minority students feel “less smart, less capable or less attractive.”

Minority students feel a need or desire to be accepted by the dominant group. Noguera gives the perfect example of this. His son, Joaquin, was one of the top students in his class, his teachers had nothing but positive things to say about him. However, when Joaquin hit high school things changed and took a turn for the worse. His grades fell and his attitude changed. When confronted about the issue, Joaquin confessed that none of his friends were as successful as he was and frankly, he did not want to be successful.

As teachers we are to know how “individuals grow, develop, and learn and provide learning opportunities that support the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.” (Standard 2) In my novice placement, I have experienced this already. I have seen many Latino students who don't like to ask for help because they feel "dumb" asking questions. They feel less competent when they are the only ones who ask for help. Instead of seeing it in a positive way that can help them grow; they see it as being negative and weak.


 It is important to see this ahead of time and try to shift the way of thinking and reinforce the idea that asking questions is a positive thing. The way I have seen it work most positively is not when asking students if they need help in front of the whole class as I instruct, but rather to ask when walking around, in a more one-on-one environment.

Introduction Page

The general idea of the book is clearly stated in the title, “Reflections on race, equity and the future of public education.” However, the title can also be deceiving. This book does not only focus on the Black population, but it also includes the perspective of Latino students and American students. The diversity of race is the main reason why I chose this book. I feel that it is important for an author to not only choose one side of the spectrum but to explore all possibilities. Another reason I thought this book would be appropriate was due to the credentials the author has. He was the executive director for the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education. The author has surrounded himself with credibility. This topic is something he is passionate about and does not simply read about it in texts.

Noguera, P.A, (2009). The trouble with black boys and other reflections on race, equity and the future of public education. San Fransisco, CA: Jossy-Bass