TeacherServer.com
Home | How It Works | Stats
Login | Register
     
  Case: My Cooperating Teacher is Racist
I am a student teacher who cannot wait to have her own classroom in near future. I hope to be the best elementary teacher I can. Recently, I went to have my introductory meeting with my cooperating teacher for the student teaching experience. She is a fifth grade teacher. The meeting took place in the teachers' lounge where other teachers in the school were able to hear everything said. At one point in the discussion my cooperating teacher, who is regarded as one of the district's finest, told me that I will have to be especially careful to recognize that there are "white-blacks" and "black-blacks." The white-blacks are easy to deal with because they come from "good" homes and have "good" values. But the black-blacks are less capable academically and have behavior problems. As I listened I was shocked by what she was saying, but I was even more shocked that none of the teachers in the lounge appeared to find what's being said unusual . I have to complete my student teaching successfully to reach my future dreams, but I do not want to give in to my cooperating teacher's ideas. I do not know what to do.
Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!)
While her views on the different backgrounds of her students is very narrow I am sure she is speaking out of context. She has applied very negative labels to identify students. Now whether or not these labels are relevant to students in the class is in itself irrelevant. You will see for yourself which students are lagging behind in and causing problems in the class. Some of them may be the very students your co-op teacher had previously described. Does this make her stereotypical labeling right or correct (please note the difference) absolutely not. But to be honest years and years of teaching (or struggling to teach)conglomerates of students has a tendency to warp even the most idealistic teacher's point of view. All you can do is keep your head up, strengthen your resolve to be the best teacher you can, and press on toward that goal. Life will continue to throw you curve balls.
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments:
Rated On: March 3, 2013 8:29 pm
Rated By: yTuGyd
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: I agree. The student teacher should find out about the students' academic/behavioral problems through observation, not discriminatory ideas.
Rated On: October 18, 2014 9:29 pm
Rated By: Megan Lee
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: I agree with this solution.
Rated On: February 25, 2015 8:10 pm
Rated By: aNaQev
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: .
Rated On: November 3, 2015 8:41 pm
Rated By: yDyjuB
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: Each teacher and student will form their own bond. And it should not be based on race or if the student is fro a "good" home.
Rated On: October 10, 2016 3:29 am
Rated By: eZeLeR
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: I agree, don't let her views effect yours as a teacher.
Rated On: March 5, 2017 8:57 pm
Rated By: avenyB
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: Good Solution!
Rated On: March 7, 2017 12:11 am
Rated By: Vuqaqa
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: Great solution! It can be difficult to not see color when it comes to classroom behavior problems. The teacher shouldn't have been so blunt about it and should have a better way of describing her students.
Rated On: October 16, 2017 1:25 am
Rated By: eHuPas
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: this is a good solution
Rated On: February 25, 2018 11:16 pm
Rated By: uXysej
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: There is going to be racist teachers, but that does not mean that you have to be racist, so whatever the teacher thinks is irrelevant to your goal in life in this case.
Rated On: October 12, 2019 3:36 am
Rated By: tabape
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: This is a good solution.
Rated On: October 14, 2019 12:13 am
Rated By: GeQapy
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement No
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue No
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: I think it is important to discuss these biased points of view with the co-op teacher and try to come to an understanding.
Rated On: October 19, 2020 2:06 am
Rated By: eMuQah
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: This solution provides good information and advice from all angles.
Rated On: October 31, 2021 7:49 am
Rated By: aPeQyG
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: I agree with this solution.
Rated On: October 31, 2021 4:27 pm
Rated By: Pearl Reberkenny
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: This teacher is contributing to the self-fulfilling prophecy by the way she is treating each group of students differently. This should not be tolerated.
Rated On: November 11, 2022 9:32 pm
Rated By: nemuLy