Return-Path: <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f4GGvsf01417; Wed, 16 May 2001 12:57:54 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 16 May 2001 12:57:54 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <65.146e0fdd.28340a91@aol.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: RMALCUS@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:488] Re: Posted for Mev Miller X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: AOL 6.0 for Windows US sub 10513 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_65.146e0fdd.28340a91_boundary" Status: O Content-Length: 3843 Lines: 66 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I would like to just react a bit to our notions of dispositional barriers. I do not differ with anything that has been said about dispositional barriers. I would just like to add a dimension to dispositional barriers that actually might be more aligned with my understandings of Freire and his ideas about the sense of powerlessness among the "oppressed". I am an African American, and one who came into teaching as a result of having had been a very poor student, academically throughout grade school and most of high school. Most of my work has focused on African American learners. In my experience, it has never been enough to "build a ball park and they will come" so-to-speak. Schools have represented the right hand of the dominant culture and as such have often been very effective in destroying a sense of confidence and hope in the minds of those learners who because of their skin color (brown, dark brown and red mostly) and/or class are considered members of the majority group. Many learners have been led to believe that they ain't qualified to read and argue with text. It has not been enough to provide them with the appropriate literature, because in their minds they do not have what it takes. There is a dimension of dispositional barriers that reflects learners' heartfelt determination and patience in spite of the difficulties. The participants in my study were less interested in the content of the materials they read or interacted with and more interested in maintaining a sense of determination to not give in to their self-doubts. I hope that I haven't rambled here as I am often prone to do.
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