I would hope she would be happy, that she would have felt she belonged as a significant member of her school com-munity, and that her teachers cared about, and for, her
This is such a sweet sentiment! I hope that by giving people more rounded educations, we can raise them to be happier too. They should be prepared with skills of empathy which are just as important. I beleive EQ should be as valued as IQ in schooling systems.
“What would a student who had experienced the kind of education you envision – an education that is multicultural, socially just, critical, and culturally responsive, from kindergarten through high school – look like upon graduation?”
I would hope that this student is not only intellectually smart, but a hollistically good person. I believe that schools are raising members of society, not just educating them. Having this multicultural education sets them up to succeed as a good human being and, therefore, postively benefit society too!
The exposure to chronic stress associated with living in these types of “socially toxic environments” (Garbarino, 1995) is now thought of as one of the most—if not the most—significant contributors to poor health.
This points out that living in "socially toxic environments" can lead to chronic stress, which is a major cause of poor health. The constant stress people face in these environments, like violence or poverty, can seriously affect both their physical and mental well-being. It shows how important it is to address these issues to improve health outcomes. Understanding this link can help push for changes that reduce stress and its harmful effects on people's health.
But the attempt to do without hope, in the struggle to improve the world, as if that struggle could be reduced to calculated acts alone, or a purely scientific approach, is a frivolous illusion
This says that trying to change the world only with logic and planned actions, without hope, is unrealistic. It shows that hope and a personal touch are key to making real change happen. Without them, efforts to improve things can feel empty and ineffective.
Schools and educators must build the kinds of environments that foster more of these types of resiliency-building engagements that provide cultur-ally relevant classroom experiences and establish a pervasive college-going culture.
When classrooms feel relevant to their lives, students are more motivated to learn. Plus, if schools push a college-going culture, it helps students see that higher education is something they can achieve, no matter where they come from. It shows how important it is for schools to create spaces where students can build resilience and connect with their own culture.
Classrooms must instead foster an environment where students are able to express opinions and to debate and critique ideas with which they might disagree
This shows how important it is for classrooms to be places where students feel comfortable sharing their opinions and challenging ideas. It helps them build critical thinking and learn how to communicate better. Letting students debate and critique teaches them to handle disagreements in a thoughtful and open-minded way.
Rather, because proportionately more students of color than white students live in large cities, educators need to be aware of demographics in relation to poverty.
This talks about how race, location, and poverty are all connected in education. It points out that more students of color live in big cities where poverty is often a bigger problem, which can affect their learning. Teachers need to understand these connections to help students deal with the challenges they face. Knowing this can lead to better support and more fairness in schools.
Increasing funding and resources for schools with a high number of stu-dents living in poverty can make a huge difference if adequate, equitable resources are used properly and effectively
This points out how important it is to fund schools with lots of students living in poverty, but also how just giving money isn’t enough. The resources need to be fair and used in ways that really help the students. It’s about making sure the support actually matches what the students need. When done right, this can help create more equal opportunities for everyone.