Weblog III

(Native Americans were also forced to use separate facilities than those used for the whites)


I felt that this teacher’s guideline did exactly what Zinn claimed many history lessons and texts do. In his book, Zinn mentioned that many texts often left out the perspective of the Native Americans. This guide did tell the truth of how the Native Americans lost their land and how they were segregated well into the twentieth century, but lacked the influence that Zinn’s text had. I think what made Zinn’s text so powerful was the thorough description of how the Native Americans were treated. For example the guide stated that the Europeans took their land, but described very little about how they did this. Zinn would have given you the extreme details, including how the Europeans waged war on the Natives, killing women and children and burned down the Natives’ villages. No matter how horrific it was, Zinn gave the real story. This paints a much more realistic picture of history for the reader, a more truthful story everyone has a right to hear.

WebLog II

(http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/118trail/118visual5.htm)

This photo shows a road believed to have been used during the Cherokee removal of 1838.

(From the perspective of a Cherokee Indian who is being forced off their land during the Indian Removal Act; References from Deculturalization and the Struggle for Equality by Joel Spring)


How can these people believe that they have the right to steal our land? They say that we can have the land west of the Mississippi river, but why can’t they take the land to the west. Why should we move? We were here first. Do they think we are less human just because we have different beliefs and values and look different? If you ask me the Americans could learn a thing or two from us. Our culture values non-violence and equality. We do not beat our children and women have the right to fully participate in our tribes. We also value the importance of community. We help our neighbors when they are in need and we also value the wisdom and experiences of everyone in the tribe to teach our young ones. (Spring pgs. 10-13)
The U.S. Army is currently using violence to steal our land from us. Our people are dying from disease and other hazards as we travel to the west. The Cherokees that stayed behind had their houses burned down and were forced into stockades. (Spring pg.28) I hope my people, the Cherokees, stay strong through this difficult time and can look forward to a future where we can all live together peacefully.

Yours Truly,

The Cherokees

WebLog I

Solidarity, courage and heart: what teacher educators can learn from a new generation of teachers by Sonia Nieto

There were many points Nieto made in this article that I felt were important for future teachers, such as myself, to hear. She first left me eager to read her book “Why We Teach” because I feel that hearing accounts from experienced teachers are the closest we can get to actually being in the classroom and I hope to find some of those stories from the contributing teachers in her book to be inspiring and comforting as I approach time as a student teacher. Second, I liked the teacher qualities that she mentioned in the article. My favorites were the first two qualities, a sense of mission and solidarity with and empathy for their students. I think it is important that you have a true passion for teaching. You need to be in this profession for the right reasons, to help students succeed in and outside the classroom. It is not a job that can be done apathetically. It is also important to create a trusting, respectful relationship with your students. She gave the example of teacher Seth Peterson who spoke of how he and his students had such a trusted relationship that they hated missing class and they knew that he would stick up for them.

My goals for this class are to gain a better understanding on how I can ensure that my teaching and instruction are respectful to students of every race, culture, language, class and background. I want to make my class room a place where students are free to be themselves and know that they are all going to be treated as equals.