Perez1

Aylin A. Perez
Professor Huerta
English
February 11, 2015

I Cant Learn.
Throughout my academic experience I have always felt that school was something I needed to do
because that is what was told to me. Academically I have been given an education which educators feel I
should have. It was because of my past educators I feel that education should be something ultimately
creative. That is where some teaching perspectives tend to wander, most people are criticized or judged in
terms of education because of race or background. It is because of some of these actions that individuals
feel as if they are not gaining anything from education. Inequality begins to be shown and that begins the
demand and fight for change. I wanted to look into how stereotypes have been inflicted upon students in
an academic way, also to discuss the idea that educators have been developed to teach a certain way and
in accidental outcome also end up teaching only certain students and finally how certain expectations that
are made could destroy the vision of learning that students or teachers make when faced with their
academic providers and takers. These are the aspects in which others need to focus more on because they
are the cause for inequality in schools.
Stereotypes have made a path notable path for education in todays society. It has become a
problem and is being made present in the daily lives of students, affecting them in their education. The
judgment that has been placed in the students of todays society only make individuals differ from an
education rather than to want one. I know that there may be some others who feel that education,
anywhere, should be valued as such, but how can one learn when he or she hates a system that does not
believe that some students, especially those of color, do not have the academic development to move
forward. One perspective of this is the opinions of those who participated in the east L.A Walkouts of
1968. Edward Olmos film, Walkout, depicts the involvement and actions that were done by average

Perez2
Mexican American students who felt that they as people/students deserved equal rights and opportunities
as those who were American (Democracy Now!) . Administrators and teachers who show any form of
prejudice toward Mexican or Mexican-American students, including failure to recognize, understand, and
appreciate Mexican culture and heritage, will be removed from East Los Angeles schools. (KCET) This
is an idea of how harsh schools may have been in regards of their students. To what extent can a student
be pushed in order to already experience discrimination at such a young age and from school, students
dealt with constant degrading labels because they could be seen never going above and beyond. Now
imagine what some of these students felt, Who's to say that the same isn't happening to the students of this
educational decade. Consider the reasons why some students do not want to attend school. It is possible it
could be from the stereotypes established, those of Mexican American descent are meant for nothing but
the field. Although unsaid, where there is doubt in a student and the struggle comes from both
overcoming that obstacle but also from overcoming the very people that teach you.
One issue is the teachers of schools, contributing to the failing of students. What other response
could there be when teachers dont want to put the ability they have to teach and pass it on to their
students. Can it be possible that through gaining their own education, educators have been taught to
educate and to teach students but might have also been taught to focus solely on those students that
matter. What could be the answer to why some educators focus only on that group of students who, care
more than the rest of the others, how can one only teach some instead of all. A description of these types
of teachers could be related to Maria Blancos article Before Brown there was Mendez. In response to the
charges of discrimination, the school districts contended that the segregation was not racially based and
that the practice of placing Mexican American children in separate schools was in reality a practice of
placing nonEnglish speaking children in separate schools until they acquired proficiency in English.
(Blanco) This is a perfect example to why teachers focus more on other students rather than on the
children they do have. I can see the reasons why others felt Mexican American students were unfit for
their schools, their excuse was that they were unable to learn the English language and that is why those

Perez3
students were seen as unable to attend white schools. In itself that only further made me question the
teaching techniques of educators. Educators at this time felt that even if Mexican American children
attended these schools, what and how could they learn? Obviously they were unable to be as intelligent
as that of a white child. The mindset of individuals who can not see the potential in every student should
not be allowed to educate only those they see fit. Inequality is completely up to those who are teaching,
why teach when they teach only half the generation.
Expectations are one of the negativities in life, it can affect how one sees things and make them
see something they only imagine. Learning has the same effect, when a student or a teacher have certain
expectations of each other or of anyone it can cause a backlash. Mainly because not many individuals can
live up to some expectations and it is because of this that there then begins the dislike for education or the
preference for certain students. What do we enforce when those who are supposedly teaching us, the
students, ignore our educational needs because one sees it in a different view. In the words of Rodolfo
CorkyGonzales in his highly detailed poem I am Joaquin he explained a struggle for those who are
of color and how equality has never been in their expectations in this world. I am Joaqun, lost in a world
of confusion, caught up in the whirl of a gringo society, confused by the rules, scorned by attitudes,
suppressed by manipulation, and destroyed by modern society. (Gonzales) With these words I question
how difficult acceptance is in our modern society. The expectations of people of color has sucumbed to
this, of inequality and of segregation due to the background of another. The expectations of those who are
meant to influence the very people they teach has also sucumbed to that of nothing.There is more effort to
influence nothing than to influence the possibilities of change one can begin. Where are we, as students,
as people, supposed to gain the education we crave when no one sees us worthy? I believe that equality
has always been something that needs to be given, not something to debate or question, so how in
something as crucial as education is is restricted? When those who are rejected can not take criticism
anymore and students become the very thing that they loathe. In terms of education, the students are no
longer students, the students are just children who hate to learn because that is all that has been taught to

Perez4
them. My expectations is for my educators to have those expectations for myself to succeed, not to have
them and dismiss them when I or anyone has shown work that is not up to standards. Educators have lost
the understanding of their work, to teach and influence because if students are shown to be under the
educated expectations then it is the job of a teacher to influence students to aim higher and teach that
there are no failures, that there are only those who give up.
The system of education can be seen as nothing but helpful, especially to those who view
education as something that is sacred and needs to be appreciated. True that education should be taken
seriously but it should not be one of the aspects that make education more valuable than the rights and
needs of students. Education should be put into the light that it is something that is available to anyone
and that anyone can be given the same academic opportunities as others. Stereotypes have always been a
problem in regards to an individual and social life, but that does not give an excuse to why certain
academic practices also come with stereotypical views on any students based on his/her racial
background. To teach a student is to teach all students and to be willing to take that responsibility to
educate. One cannot continue to teach that some students matter more than others. To do so would only
prove that we as a society have not come far from eliminating the prejudice from before.The expectations
of teachers should only be those success, no student will feel that they can develop themselves more
through the expectation that they are to fail. We as a community do not want to see students become the
negative expectation of an undergraduate. Educators need to focus more on the ability and efforts, even if
they are small, of students. Those who have the interest to learn have the potential to expand their
academic experience. That needs to be the encouragement to learn, not things that are based off judgment.
In order to prevent students to feel that the schools they attend are shaped for prejudice there needs to be
an emphasis on how prior visualizations on students or what they can achieve in a classroom can only
shift the learning and teaching experience for both participants. Education is meant for growth not for
rejection between a teacher and a student, nothing can be done with this type of relationship and nothing
will change the inequality unless we ultimately decide to change.

Perez5

Perez6

Essay 1 Grading RubricExcelle

nt
Essay Title: Creative title reflects thesis.

Very
Goo
d

Developi
ng

Need
s
Work

Introduction: Introduces the topic of the essay. Provides adequate context,

background information to lead into the thesis logically.

Introduction (Thesis): Thesis is clearly stated and responds directly to the essay
focus question.

Organization: The writers ideas in the body of the essay connect to each other
logically. All body paragraphs somehow support/develop the thesis. Conclusion ties
together the ideas and emphasizes the importance of the issue.

Paragraph Focus/Topic Sentences: Each body paragraph has a clearly stated

MAIN IDEA/POINT/TOPIC SENTCENCE. This topic sentence is an idea that can
be developed or explained.

Paragraph Development: Each paragraph has EVIDENCE/INFORMATION to

support the main idea? (text support, personal experience, personal observation,
specific examples, connections to other texts, etc.) Support is RELEVANT. Support
is integrated with adequate context and MLA citation.

Paragraph Development: Each paragraph has adequate

EXPLANATION/ANALYSIS of the supporting INFORMATION/EVIDENCE. The
writer explains the support used AND analyzes how that information connects to
his/her main idea.

Scope/Definition of Task: The writer addresses all aspects of the writing prompt.
He/she offers a unique and individual perspective on the topic.
Proofreading: There are few to little surface-level grammatical errors that distract
from the main ideas of this essay. Little to few obvious errors like spelling,
capitalization and/or punctuation.

X
X

Strengths: You make some important points about how teachers expectations of students can impact their learning and your
conclusion is very strong in terms of emphasizing the importance of the issue-- in this case, the issue of having teachers
understand the importance of their perceptions and how these perceptions can impact/influence student success. However, your
essay doesnt address the writing prompt and therefore it lacks a serious focus.
Focus Area for Improvement:
-

Scope and definition of task: Your essay doesnt exactly answer the focus questions: What are the most

important lessons we can learn from the examples of student and community activism that we studied in unit one? How
are these lessons relevant to addressing the problem of educational inequality today?
For this reason, it is difficult to follow your focus. How does your analysis relate to the
community activism and agency we discussed at length in class? How does this tie in with any of the

Perez7
journals? Consider how your ideas about stereotyping fit into these questions-- how did the students and
-

their families respond to these stereotypes? What can we learn from this?
Organization:
Paragraph focus/topic sentences: your topic sentences should be clearly stated POINTS that introduce your

topic and your main idea about that topic-- focus on developing clear POINTS that dont ask a question, but rather,
make a clear statement.
Paragraph development: A lack of focus at the paragrpah level means that you often provide evidence/textual
support that doesnt seem quite relevant to the topic of your essay. Please see my comments.
Final Essay Grade: D+

Perez8

Works Cited

1) www.democracynow.org/2006/3/29/walkout_the_true_story_of_the
Goodman, Amy, and Juan Gonzlez. "Walkout: The True Story of the Historic 1968 Chicano Student
Walkout in East L.A." Democracy Now! N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
2) www.kcet.org/socal/departures/columns/highland-park/east-la-blowout-walking-out-for-justice-in-theclassrooms.html
Simpson, Kelly. "East L.A. Blowouts: Walking Out for Justice in the Classrooms." KCET. N.p., 7 Feb.
2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2015
3) Before Brown there was Mendez, By Maria Blanco
Blanco, Maria. "Before Brown There Was Mendez." N.p., Mar. 2010. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
4) www.latinamericanstudies.org/latinos/joaquin.htm
Gonzales, Rodolfo. "I Am Joaquin." I Am Joaquin. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.