All students who enter into an academic environment have the right to feel accurately represented and considered within their school system. Students learn better and are more successful when they are accurately represented in their classrooms. This paper looks at situations of religious, disability and cultural representation or lack of representation in the classroom and how it affects students ability to learn. Historically speaking, the classroom has not been a place where issues of social justice and equity are often talked about. Ideas surrounding social justice and equity have existed for thousands of years and have roots that date back to ancient societies. While different people groups often disagree on what is considered fair and …show more content…
Dr. Phra Nicholas Thanissaro, a professor at Warwick University in the United Kingdom, conducted a study that examined the disconnect between the religious education of Buddhism in the United Kingdom and how what is taught in schools is not always in agreement with what students practice in their homes. Thanissaro talks about how originally, when the first religious education curriculum on Buddhism was being written in the 1980s, ethnically western Buddhists were the majority demographic. Therefore, religious education in schools presented Buddhism in a way that was attractive to westerners (Thanissaro, 62). Overtime, due to the increase of Buddhists who have migrated to the UK, there needed to be a shift in the curriculum and ethnographic studies to reflect the Buddhist students more accurately. Thanissaro talks about the need to “narrow the gap” between students “home nurture and school presentation of Buddhism” (Thanissaro, 63). In efforts to change the way that religious education on the Buddhist religion is taught in schools in the United Kingdom, data and ethnographic information was gathered from both adults and children of different Buddhist backgrounds (Bengali, Thai, Nepali). There is hope to provide a more inclusive and positive representation of Buddhism in the classroom. Thanissaro used the evidence gathered in the interviews with Buddhist adults and children to show that there is a lot more to Buddhism than what is taught for one hour during the Buddhism unit of religious education. The goal of the research conducted was to allow Buddhist students to feel accurately represented and to raise their self-esteem in regards to their religion (Thanissaro, 71). There is often a lack of depth when it comes to what is taught on religion within the classroom. In class, students learn only about the basics of religions
Yu, Han. “Memorial on Buddhism”. Making of the Modern World 12: Classical & Medieval Tradition. Trans. Richard F. Burton. Ed. Janet Smarr. La Jolla: University Readers, 2012. 111-112. Print.
Buddhism is a religion from the East that has spread to many different countries all over the world. It has spread to the West, and has had a great influence and impact, especially in America. However, the Buddhism that is practiced in the United States is not exactly the same as the one that is practiced in Asian countries. If Buddhism differs between the different traditions of the Asian countries themselves, it is obvious that it will differ greatly in America as well. However, even though there are obvious differences, it is important to maintain the core values and fundamental principles the same. This research explores how the three different types of Buddhist practitioners have adopted Buddhism in America, and it describes some differences
Through the courses that I have taken thus far, I have learned about and experienced many rewards of teaching for social justice. However, I have also learned about the challenges of teaching for social justice, such as mismatches, racial stigmas, and avoiding oppressive teaching, to name a few. From course readings, the dispositions, and real-life situations, I have been able to grasp the understanding of being a teacher for social justice.
Ideally, the education system in the United States aims to serve as the great equalizer in the constant struggle to counter decades and centuries of historical oppression against those of non-European descent. The ideology of education as a great equalizer purports a pedagogy as a starting point for those oppressed and separated by such forces as race and class to have access to a quality education, and hence an equal chance at all the US has to offer. It attempts to bring children from disparate realms in a place that serves them all equitably. This ideal constantly challenges the broader values of equality, liberty and democracy considered to be at the core of American ideology. In interpreting this conception, two questions are indirectly answered by examining our educational practices: Does equality in education simply foresee that all students are treated the same, despite their different needs? Or, does it intend to challenge and rectify past inequalities for a truly equitable educational system?
“An array of knowledges, skills, abilities and contacts possessed and used by Communities of Color to survive and resist racism and other forms of oppression” encompasses the main idea of Community Cultural Wealth. It is vital to understand that students will step foot into the classroom with a variety of cultures zipped up in their backpacks, and it is our job as educators to make sure that equality is instilled/taught in our classrooms. The second a student feels a sense of discrimination, whether from ourselves or their fellow classmate(s), is when the safe and comforting environment of the classroom begins to diminish. Here I will discuss just how important it is to see the differences amongst students as an advantage
Buddhism is currently the fourth most popular religion in our society today, following Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. Its major ideologies are based on the philosophies of Siddhartha Guatama, also known as “Buddha”, who began his teachings in 598 BCE at the age of 35, according to Buddhist texts. A Buddhist’s foremost aspiration is the obtainment of Bodhi, or enlightenment through meditation and Anapana-sati (awareness of the breath). Buddhism shares many ideologies with India’s Hinduism and Yoga such as non-harming, non-violence, and self-awareness. In many instances, people regard Buddhism as a way of life rather than a religion, for it has no clear belief in the idea of a God or Gods. Its structure is built upon a hierarchy much like Christianity where superior orders such as Lamas or the Dalai Lama are said to be chosen by nature through the process of reincarnation rather than by a council like Christianity’s Pope. Though these “higher level” Buddhists are rare (not everyone is a reincarnation of an ancient Buddhist “priest”), all are permitted to follow “The Middle Way” either as a Buddhist monk or the simple attendance of a weekly teaching session from time to time. Throughout the last few hundred years the Buddhist population has blossomed into a healthy 381,611,000 and over fifteen different sects including Zen, Mahayana, and Theravada.
Siddhartha Gautama is famously known as Gautama Buddha and was the founder of the idea of Buddhism. The Buddha was known to possess supernatural powers and abilities. He was born in the holy land of Nepal and his journey began in India when he decided to travel and teach himself about life. In the midst of his journey, he discovered Buddhism after he experienced a profound realization of the nature of life, death and existence. Buddhism became a religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama and since then Buddhism has been popular throughout many civilizations. Buddhism is now one of the most ancient religions in the world, where people follow Buddha, which stand for “awakened one,” and Buddhism which has gained popularity because of the teachings of the Buddha.
Some research will argue that maximizing schools resources is not the only option. In addition to intervention programs, schools and teachers must create a “culturally responsive” educational environment for minority students that are based on being collective. These differ from the classroom environments that are only modeled after the interests of middle class students from Anglo Saxon backgrounds. A prime example would be if a minority low income student is ask to complete an English essay about their favorite family vacation. There is a large possibility that a disadvantaged minority student may have never been on a family vacation as oppose to a middle class Caucasian student that could possible relate. Would it be equitable to grade these two students, although one has never had the experience? These inclusive environments are based on: social competences, problem-solving skills, autonomy and purposeful futures. They produce students that have high self-esteem and self-efficacy (McKinney,
As a college student who has lived in Smallville, USA, I do not have much experience with the other religions of the world. I have grown up a Christian Protestant my whole life, and I am a firm believer in my religion. Soon after reading the chapter on Buddhism in Huston Smith’s book The World’s Religions, I came to understand and respect the Buddhist religion. I came to learn who the Buddha as a man really was, and the steps he took in becoming a religious icon. I know understand that Buddhism is not all meditation and relaxing. There is a strict code of the four noble truths and the prescription of getting through them called the eightfold path. Much like Christianity Buddhism also has many different views on how to follow the religion, and has been broken up into different paths (yanas). The book also covers how Buddhism has a way of crossing into nirvana, and the journey enlighten followers have to make. In conclusion of the chapter Smith talks about the similarities between Hinduism and Buddhism and how they work with each others ideas. Throughout reading this chapter on Buddhism has had a profound affect on my view and my opinion of the religion has changed drastically.
Diversity among students including differences in culture, language and socioeconomic stance is not a new trend. The difference, however, is that today, the school system realizes that all students, including those who differ in some way from the "average" student, or those “at-risk” must be provided with an equal, opportune education (Morris, 1991).
Kunz, Sandra Costen. "A Buddhist in the Classroom." Buddhist-Christian Studies 31 (2011): 231+. Religion and Philosophy Collection. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
Buddhism, like most other religions, originated in a particular place at a particular time, and its roots are in forms and ideas that were part of the environment in which it developed. The most important of these areas at the time of the Buddha was the valley of the Ganges river which flows from west to east across most of northern India. It was here that the great religions of India first arose and flourished. Only later did they spread to the south. In the time of the Buddha, about 500 B.C.E., this area was undergoing a period of vigorous religious development.
"What is Buddhism? | The Buddhist Centre." What is Buddhism? | The Buddhist Centre. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. .
“Social Justice in Education” by R. W. Connell discusses the role of education in society and the implications that social justice issues have on education. Connell begins by establishing that education and social justice can be examined separately yet they are inescapably linked through the social medium of their implementation. “Education concerns schools, colleges and universities, whose business is to pass knowledge on to the next generation. Social justice is about income, employment, pensions or physical assets like housing.”(Connell, 1993) Three points validating the equal importance of social justice and the education system to people of all delineations are: 1.) in Western society public schools are key forums of social interaction and comprise some of the largest social institutions 2.) educational institutions are highly economic bodies and have become “major public assets” (Connell, 1993) 3.) teaching becomes a vehicle by which society is ultimately determined and has a great influence over society’s morality. Connell describes the meaning of justice in education as being “a question of fairness in distribution… equality.”(Connell, 1993) “Justice cannot be achieved by distributing the same… standard good to… all social classes.”(Connell, 1993) By stating this, Connell summarizes that in the attempt to achieve equality, unequal means must be employed.
When the author refers to the average child, they do not include children who are cognitively different than average. Average is only one statistical measure, and does not properly characterise each individual within the population studied. Outliers are often not included in the summary data analysis because they do not fall into the middle thirds, and do not fit the narrative of trends. Page four of the case study describes the middle, the area inbetween the first standard deviation, the average of the population. By choosing to not including analysis of those who fall outside of that measurement we are not able to see the picture that is presented in the data.