Abigail Tetlow on Ethnic Studies Impact

 This week I was assigned a video and a reading on the topic of ethnic studies in the world of education. The text is by Christine E. Sleeter, a professor for education reform. Her writing explores the impact of ethnic studies. It discusses how the typical manner of teaching marginalizes under-represented groups, such as racial minorities. The document highlights how students of color become disengaged in schooling due to lack of representation. She believes ethnic studies can remedy this issue by making education more intentional for all groups.

Sleeter is advocating for the inclusion of ethnic studies into education. This idea is hard to imagine in our day and age but could be the key to the future. She believes that ethnic studies would not only benefit the students of color, but white students as well.

Ethnic studies offer a narrative that highlight histories, cultures, and struggles of marginalized communities. This addition of ethnic studies would minimize systemic oppression by raising awareness of issues on a widespread scale.

The curriculum fosters academic engagement and improves performance among students of color. This is the type of equity that is necessary in todays education. It has been proven that students of color often fall short on test scores and gpa, and to be able to boost engagement would prove that we are all equal.

this photo demonstrates that children need to learn many different things to become knowledgable on a broad range of topics. My point being, the inclusion of ethnic studies could only make education more rich and meaningful to students development.

Here are a few quotes from the reading;

"For the first time in his life, the curriculum was centered on his reality." (1) This quote demonstrates how ethnic studies really does make a difference to individuals.

"Mainstream Euro-American studies deny all students—both White and of color—an education that takes seriously the realities of institutionalized racism that people of color live every day." (5) This quote shows how all students are deprived of a complete understanding of history and society, and it would benefit all groups to include in education. 

Please consider checking out the NEA (National Education Association) to learn more about topics like this. NEA.org