Stripped of Culture: How Education Systems Fail to Support Students' Cultural Identities

Education systems have a responsibility to support and celebrate the cultural identities of all students. However, too often, these systems fail to do so, and instead strip students of their cultural identities in a number of harmful ways.

One way this can happen is through assimilation. Education systems may promote the assimilation of students into a dominant culture, rather than valuing and preserving their cultural identities. This can occur through curriculum, language policies, and other practices that prioritize the dominant culture and discourage the expression of students' own cultures.

Another way education systems can strip students of their cultural identities is through erasure. This can occur when education systems do not adequately represent or acknowledge the cultural histories and experiences of certain groups, leading to the erasure of their cultural identities. This can occur through the lack of representation in curriculum, the lack of cultural resources or support for students, and the lack of cultural competency among teachers and staff.

Finally, education systems may perpetuate negative stereotypes about certain cultural groups, which can damage students' sense of cultural identity and belonging. This can occur through biased teaching practices, the lack of cultural sensitivity, and the lack of cultural representation in curriculum and other resources.

It is clear that education systems have a long way to go in terms of being inclusive and culturally responsive. It is time for schools to recognize and respect the cultural identities of all students, and to work towards creating a more equitable and diverse educational experience for everyone. So, it is high time for the education system to change its approach towards the cultural identity of students.

Looking Forward to the Future

I don't know how to start my entry. How to begin my first paragraph, my first sentence. It is hard for me to choose the appropriate word. But this is the only thing that runs to my mind. It is about how to start a better future.

A better future is our choice, it is up to us what way we will choose, either on a good way or bad way. For example, if you want a good life into the future, you must strive to finish your schooling first before to do things that you are not yet prepared. Think first before you do an action that can affect your life. Don't let your emotions eat you, use your mind, use your thinking skills to decide what will you do, what decision will you plan to make. Every decision is corresponding has a consequences.

If you have no plan in your life, just leave a consideration to those who strive their best to reach success. Do not pull them down. You can not help our country by just a street standby and jobless. Think again. The key to your to success is in your own bare-hands. You are the one doing your actions.

Think, think, think... think what future belongs to you...

Tunay na Malaya

isinulat ni Patrick Familara

Sino nga ba ang tunay na malaya
Sa mga paghihirap na tayo rin ang may likha
Sa mga pangaabuso na tayo rin ang may pakana
Sino nga ba ang tunay na may sala

Ako na walang ginawa kundi ang magreklamo
Ikaw na walang ibang ginawa kundi magpatalo
Tayo na walang pakialam kundi maging bato
Saan na nga ba patungo ang ating estado

Malayang Pilipino kung maturingan
Bakit tila ba bilanggo pa rin sa nakaraan
May pag-asa pa bang makalabas sa banging kinabagsakan
Kung tayo ay watak at walang pagtutulungan

Kabataang Pinoy ang ika nga'y pag-asa ng bayan
Sa aking nakikita tila ba’y isang palaisipan
Sa maling paghuhulma sila’y dumaan
Sa mga kataga ni Rizal, Paano ang puna

Tiwala sa sarili ang dapat hubugin
Pag-aaral ng mabuti ang dapat atupagin
Pagsisikap sa buhay ang ating gawin
Marahil ito ang kasangkapan nang ating mithiin ay makamtan

(updated and revised :Aug 28, 2012 12:36pm)

How would you integrate values in each of the following subjects?

Values integration in all subject areas is a vital component of learning. We define learning as a behavioral change of a person by acquiring new knowledge that we may encounter in our daily life.

In teaching language subjects like English and Filipino as well as Math, Science, Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies)/ Sibika (Civics), and MAPE/MAPEH, we should always put values on our lessons every time we teach. As teachers, we touch the lives of our students; we mold them to be globally competitive citizens of our country and to help them to reach what they want to be in the future. Keep in mind that our students might forget what we teach, like adding fractions, the governors-general during Spanish colonization, and animal kingdoms. Still, for sure, they will always remember the values that they’ve learned from us. But there is always a question pinned to it. How?

When teaching English and Filipino as well as teaching other languages, we could impart values by using sample sentences and activities that are values related. For example, in teaching identifying NOUNS, we could use the sentence; “Filipinos help each other especially in times of trouble,” we let our students recognize the nouns, as well as they’ve learned other useful attributes of being a Filipino.

In the primary level, teachers in Math teach their students to count as well as adding and subtracting. He/She should also add to their lesson, how will their students use it in their daily life teach and the importance of valuing things like money and proper time management.

In Science, teachers can use many different strategies to integrate values into their lessons. For example, the experience is about the human body, and the teacher can teach their students how to value and take care of their bodies.

In Social Studies and Civics, the teacher can teach the moral value that lays history. For example, we let our students reflect on a particular event in our history and give their reaction and position, why Rizal did write Noli Me Tangere.

In MAPE/H, we could teach the essence of valuing our own culture and preparing our students to appreciate our heritage, like arts and dance, as well as our cuisine.

There are lots of ways of integrating values education in our lessons. We need to learn how to do it effectively to mark the values we teach to the heart and minds of our students. We are not just teachers, but we are helpers of God. We train their hearts, their thoughts, as well as how, do they will behave in our society.

At its heart, there must be a sense of empowerment and inner fulfillment. This alone will ensure that human and cultural values remain paramount in a world.

 - Aung San Suu Kyi, 1994

Peace Education

                Education is a process of behavioural change through acquiring new knowledge and understanding new things that surrounds us. Peace is originally means the absence of war in ancient time. We could still use war as the definiendum of this term and as misunderstanding and violence inside the classroom setting such as bullying as its definiens.  

                Peace education is the absence of war in classroom setting. It is important to have peace in order to become more conducive in learning. Harmony and non-threatening atmosphere also sets the mind of the learners to focus in studying without the fear of being harmed by their classmates or by their teacher. It is also bring peaceful relationship between teachers and student.

Rain rain go away

Rain rain go away
come again some other day
Little children
Wants to play
Rain rain go away

_________________________________________

Ulan ulan umalis ka na
bumalik ka na lang sa ibang araw
Maliliit na bata'y gustong maglaro
Ulan ulan umalis ka na

_________________________________________

Every time that heavy rain pours coming from the dark low clouds, classes from Preschool, Elementary, and High School level often suspended except for college level. I often asks my self, should I go to school despite of this crazy weather? News from TV networks announces the schools that suspended their classes as well as their local government.  I always hope that our school is listed on the list of schools that suspends their classes in all level, but it's not. With hesitation pinned on my mind, still, I packed my things and leave the house with no assurances that there are still classes. 

Stupendous Life

Being a person, we’re all vulnerable to everything,  
In pain, glee, success and failure  
Life is easy, but  
Living is another story.

Patience, is one of life’s must-have  
Along this journey, where unexpected things  
Tend to come over, that giving up seems to be an option,  
Retreat, but I can’t,

Inside myself
Comes a better feeling  
Knowing that someday;
Many good things will ensue.

Faithful that we are  
Alive and living, in a  
Merrily milieu, that
In the humanity had been keep.

Living in this world is exciting,  
Anything happens arbitrarily.
Rather to define life negatively,  
Allow me to delineate it stupendously.

Two different points of views

When I was a kid, I always think why people have different perception of life. I keep asking myself why it is like that. During my elementary years, many of my classmates often been absent in the class, some didn’t even return for good. There was a time that I met my old classmate in the market and I asked why he didn’t go to school for weeks. He answered me, he said “Indi ey ako ging sugtan ni papa mageskwela, siling nida, maarado yangey ako sa boker” (My father wouldn’t allowed me anymore to attend to school, It might be good if I help him in the farm) –he is Ariel. I felt sad for him. That was the time when I realized that not all of us are blessed to be living in a normal and stable life. There was also a friend of mine that happened to be belongs in a well-off family in our province. Not different from my other classmates, he is always absent. Not because his father wouldn’t want to, but he prefer be. He doesn’t want to go to school. He is wasting the allowance that his parents are giving to him. When I ask why he is doing that, he said “Meron nga akong pera, nasusunod ng mga magulang ko ang aking luho, pero wala naman sila sa tabi ko kung kailangan ko sila” (I have money, my parents can buy me whatever I want, but they are not here for me when I needed them). 

Every one of us has different perceptions in life. There are times that we avoid to hear the comments of other people. But even though we stick in our what we so called PRIDE, there is still some times that we let those to be thrown away to adapt for the betterment of our lives and with the help of our friends.

A Day of Remembrance for Dolphy

PNoy issued the declaration in Proclamation 433. This proclamation sets July 13, 2012 as a National Day of Remembrance for the late king of Philippine comedy Dolphy. 

According to deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte on her press statement - "The President issued the proclamation in recognition of how the nation deeply feels the passing of Dolphy. In the proclamation, the President cited Dolphy as a man who will live on in Philippine cultural history—and in the hearts of many of his countrymen."

Every year that spanned in Dolphy's career, raised and changed the standards of the Philippine show business, and strengthened our cultural identity, giving innumerable aspirants an example to look up to.

 "The President’s proclamation is in keeping with the wishes expressed by the late Dolphy himself, and his family, that he be remembered not with sadness, but with the same warmth and joy he brought to the lives of millions throughout his career," Valte said in her statemen.
 
National Day of Remembrance, is not to mourn for Dolphy's passing but to celebrate his life and his great contributions to our country.


It is not a non-working holiday.

Retrieved from: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/07/12/12/pnoy-declares-day-remembrance-dolphy (8:12 am/ July 13, 2012)