Chapter 9

After reading chapter 9 on racism by Brookfield, I don’t think it is an issue of race as much as it is an issue of class. If you are a member of the upper class you would not experience racism as often as students attending public schools in a lower class neighbourhood. Racism exist is schools in the lower class neighbourhoods because these schools are predominately attended by less wealthier families. This is more of an issue in the United States. Most of the prisons in the U.S. are occupied by the poor. In Canada the families that can afford to send their children to private schools, where the class size is much smaller and more attention is paid to individual students, do not have issues with racism. The public schools are turning into daycare centers as opposed to learning centers due to lack of funding by successive governments in B.C. The instructor spent more time babysitting than teaching due to the large class sizes. Here is an interesting article on classism: http://www.classism.org/about-class/what-is-classism/

Brookfield's Core Assumptions

I agree with most of what Brookfield says in chapter two. The first thing I like to do when starting a new class is to introduce myself and have the class introduce themselves to me and their peers. The introduction process allows me to explain my background in the field I am teaching and what is expected from the class. The introduction allow me to gauge prior learning the learner may have and their background in the field. As an instructor I have to keep up to date because the products used in the field are latest technology.

I don't agree with walking out of the classroom.I find most student want to be in the classroom because they have paid for their course and expect to gain knowledge and experience. A few of the students who are there because of some government funding program do not apply themselves as much because they are not as serious. I have taught electrical programs to high school students and find you have to establish authority with the younger adults early in the process or the class can be hijacked by a few students who don't want to be there.