Thoughts on Context and Language

I do not have a placement yet so I am going to answer the prompt from a different angle. I believe that all students need to learn and understand the language of power, which, in the United States is Standard English. District, state, and federal policies demand that students in public schools have knowledge of and a facility with standard english. Indeed, parents, administrators and teachers also desire that their students conquer the language of power. Indeed, it is impossible to critique or refute texts or other forms of media that one does not understand; comprehension is an important prerequisite for critique. Moreover, students must learn how to present themselves powerfully and persuasively. Thus, the goals of all involved in education are the same; mastery of Standard English. Thus, as a teacher, even if the state demeans other forms of English or does not recognize the power issues involved in language acquisition, teachers can make this process clear to their students. As teachers we are here, despite what the state and district say, to make our students critically empowered and critically literate citizens. Too often the combination of the policies of the district, state, and federal government in combination with a school's administrators and teachers approach learning academic english as a life choice. The life choices of urban non-white youth are reduced to that of choosing between staying behind (in the community) as failure and "getting out" as success. Faced with the prospect of leaving their communities, i.e. their way of speaking many youth opt out of school. they choose to retain an urban and cultural identity that they perceive to be in conflict with the expectations of schools. As teachers we have to find a way to encourage their identities as urban young people while convincing youth of the great importance of knowing and understanding academic english. It does not have to be a conflict of interests. But we must make this clear to our students.