Geographic Location
"It is not differences of opinion; it is geographical lines, rivers, and mountains which divide State from State, and make different nations of mankind."
-Jefferson Davis
-Jefferson Davis
By: Hector Salazar
In Always Running, by Luis Rodriguez, Rodriguez creates a metaphor of jacket that is put on the shoulders of an individual. This jacket if the predetermined destiny of the individual based on where they are from. Rodriguez, being from the lower classes Latino neighborhood, wore a “jacket” of a thug, an individual that was predetermined to fail.
When this “jacket” is placed on the individual they begin to internalize the misconceptions and then they become their worst obstacle. If an individual does not expect greatness from within themselves, no other person will expect greatness and achievement from them. These labels force people onto different tracks of life. If an individual is told over and over again “ you're no good, you’ll never amount to anything, you’re too stupid to go to college”, then the individual begins to believe and accept these misinterpretations to define themselves.
When these “jackets” are placed on these individuals, the school system that enforces and upholds these misinterpretations fail the students. Rather than instill the values and the dreams that these students can reach, by putting education as top priority, these institutions keep the lower class students low and the high achieving students above the rest.
In the Hidden Curriculum, Anyon reveals the “hidden curriculum” within public institutions as to what she believes to be. Anyon concludes that these institutions are utilizing academic curriculum to hold specific students back and aid other students to excel, while based on geographic location and the socioeconomic location from which the school is located. For low income students their curriculum is generated to force them to develop their “working class” skills. Such examples as following step by step directions, repeating the same steps within a procedure repeatedly, and following the directions of an individual with higher status. Then Anyon explores the type of education higher socioeconomic classes teach their students. From the high income neighborhoods comes the “great professional” of the future. Learning such skills as critical thinking, looking after a group, and developing plans and procedures. This provides higher class students with the skills they need to become the elite and future professionals, whom society will view with the ability to obtain success and achievement.
Within Schools, geography places a key role, after all you have to interact within the location that your school is located. If your school is located within a high crime area then the student has to be concerned about safety. This can be very discouraging for students to attend school and for some students they are influenced by their location to dropout of school for whatever reason.
When this “jacket” is placed on the individual they begin to internalize the misconceptions and then they become their worst obstacle. If an individual does not expect greatness from within themselves, no other person will expect greatness and achievement from them. These labels force people onto different tracks of life. If an individual is told over and over again “ you're no good, you’ll never amount to anything, you’re too stupid to go to college”, then the individual begins to believe and accept these misinterpretations to define themselves.
When these “jackets” are placed on these individuals, the school system that enforces and upholds these misinterpretations fail the students. Rather than instill the values and the dreams that these students can reach, by putting education as top priority, these institutions keep the lower class students low and the high achieving students above the rest.
In the Hidden Curriculum, Anyon reveals the “hidden curriculum” within public institutions as to what she believes to be. Anyon concludes that these institutions are utilizing academic curriculum to hold specific students back and aid other students to excel, while based on geographic location and the socioeconomic location from which the school is located. For low income students their curriculum is generated to force them to develop their “working class” skills. Such examples as following step by step directions, repeating the same steps within a procedure repeatedly, and following the directions of an individual with higher status. Then Anyon explores the type of education higher socioeconomic classes teach their students. From the high income neighborhoods comes the “great professional” of the future. Learning such skills as critical thinking, looking after a group, and developing plans and procedures. This provides higher class students with the skills they need to become the elite and future professionals, whom society will view with the ability to obtain success and achievement.
Within Schools, geography places a key role, after all you have to interact within the location that your school is located. If your school is located within a high crime area then the student has to be concerned about safety. This can be very discouraging for students to attend school and for some students they are influenced by their location to dropout of school for whatever reason.
Anyon, Jean. "Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work." Chicago Public Schools University of Chicago Internet Project. University of Chicago, Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://cuip.uchicago.edu/~cac/nlu/fnd504/anyon.htm>.
Chapman, Chris, Jennifer Laird, Nicole Ifill, and Angelina KewalRamani. "Trends in High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 1972–2009." National Center for Education Satisitcs. Institute of Education Sciences, Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012006.pdf>.
Rodriguez, Luis J.. Always Running. Willimantic, CT: Curbstone Press, 1993. Print.
Chapman, Chris, Jennifer Laird, Nicole Ifill, and Angelina KewalRamani. "Trends in High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 1972–2009." National Center for Education Satisitcs. Institute of Education Sciences, Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012006.pdf>.
Rodriguez, Luis J.. Always Running. Willimantic, CT: Curbstone Press, 1993. Print.