Professional Documents
Culture Documents
From this week’s readings, it seems young people experience being American
though mostly through observation and their own or others’ experiences. These American
observations are made through a variety of entities; TV, radio, magazines and
newspapers. But as the readings suggest, schools are places where young people
experience the larger America. Though young people may not articulate what they are
have toward their school could feasibly be “congruent” to their complaints about “their
Dodge City, Kansas, the realities young people experience within their schools mirror
their larger American experience. Also, I noticed through the readings that experiencing
America can be something that “happens” to a young person. Dr. Rubin comments that
analyses of social inequality had a strikingly different approach, expressing the desire to
become actively involved in social change.” The students of educational setting Dr.
Rubin describes experienced the broader America; that is the American life other
Americans citizens live. Students in the school district were racial and economic diversity
was noticeable, probably directed students become more active in American society.
Immigrant youth who enter the American “Petri dish of democracy” that is public school,
youth to speak only English while at school. They demeaned, or at best ignored, what
humiliating as this, and instances like it, can be to an immigrant student, by experiencing
events, immigrant youth can receive remarkable insight into what they can expect in their
American experience. America, as different as its citizens are and have historically been,
has never been a country that embraces diversity with open arms. Immigrant youth, who
primarily spend much of their time within their own household and within their like
communities, by attending a public school, they learn the views of the larger society.
simplistic and un-original. In my view, if someone was either born in America or has
gone through the proper channels to become lawful citizen of this country, they have
necessary to become a citizen. But I do, however, believe assimilation is vital toward
achieving upward mobility and being considered more “American”. Lizzie, the 11th
grader at Burnside explained to interviewers how proud her father was to come to
America as an immigrant with no money and through time and effort, was able to
purchase his own home. Through the willingness to accept American ideals and value as
his own, Lizzie’s father, even as an immigrant, was able to procure the American dream
of home ownership. And, while Lizzie herself, didn’t own her house, a message was
clear; by assimilating and accepting the American way of life, people can achieve success
here. I don’t believe Lizzie and her family is anymore American citizens than the
immigrant youths Stepick and Stepick describe, or Haitian émigré Natalie Neptune. But
Lizzie’s family’s willingness to assimilate and accept American ideals set them Lizzie’s
family apart.
stressing of “their America” is due to the fact that not all young people experience the
same thing in America. A person’s observations and exposures largely drive their
perceptions. And resulting from varying experiences, varying responses also follow.
detachment and cynicism toward becoming an American citizen. Stepick and Stepick
describe how many immigrant youth, after being funneled toward Americanization
through assimilation in their schools and larger society, respond by grasping tighter to
their own culture and their original national identity. The response also varied among
native born American young people. In Dr. Rubin’s essay, it is conveyed that the beliefs
and values of more affluent whites and some immigrants, are in more “congruity” with
the larger accepted ideals of mass American society. On the other hand, young people in
middle to lower economic tiers and minorities, respond to their American experience in
and “their own America”. But then the question becomes what is the role and goal of
public school? Nasir and Kirshner writes about the Bililian Islamic School saying the
taught, and teachers view their jobs as very much about teaching core principles of love,
compassion, and good conduct” (Nasir,71). In a setting such as this, where teaching
equality and appreciation is fundamental, young people could help form a more positive
and more profound interpretation of “being American”, spur increased civic participation,