Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1060790
Discussions were real and required a lot of raw self-examination. "We are so naïve and uneducated about so many topics," said Monser- rat Bonilla Flores, a student from Santiago Canyon College. "It made me reflect a lot about what I see and maybe do more of my own research." The realization that perhaps the wool was pulled over their eyes about some of the values that built the United States went from shock to disgust to defiance. Whitney Anderson said being confronted with this "real history" in her own schooling would have made an impact on how she looked at the story of America and would have caused her to think more critically about other information she was told. "I feel like if I had learned the truth as a child, I would've been braver," said Anderson, a student at CSU Fullerton. The danger of one dominant perspective Symposium facilitator and CTA Human Rights Consultant Reena Doyle told a story about a friend in school who asked his teachers why Europe was considered a continent when by the definition of the word, it definitely was not. When he finally found one who was willing to answer the question, "because whoever wrote the textbook said it is," spoke volumes about the power wielded by the people who determine the narrative in history books. What is learned in most classrooms is from one dominant perspective, shaping the beliefs of American children. is danger of the "single story" silences the voices of others, leading to the labeling of everything as either normal or different, where "normal" is white and "different" is everything else. "Growing up, normal was always white," said Siri Peduru, a student from UC Davis. "It's so important as an educator to break apar t that i dea of normal versus dif ferent and make sure all of our students are treated equally." Nearly everyone in the room shook their heads upon hearing the tale of a man named Jose who was hav- ing difficulty finding a job, but suddenly had calls for interviews pour in after removing one letter from his Leslie Lopez Moreno. of San Diego State, shares thoughts on the impacts of inequality. Aspiring educators had honest discussions that called into question what they learned in school. SCTA Chapter Recognized Nationally A L O C A L C H A P T E R of Student CTA received national recognition recently when the National Education Association Aspiring Educators (NEA AE) spotlighted its efforts in meeting planning. During a monthly training held by NEA AE, San Diego State University SCTA chapter leaders were asked to share the strategies they use for planning their meetings, so others can learn from their ideas. Congratulations to SDSU SCTA! For more information on NEA AE, visit nea.org/studentprogram. 54 cta.org Teaching & Learning