A Jeanne Site
A Jeanne Site
California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Latest update: February 27, 2000
Faculty on the Site.
- E-mail from student in Juvenile Justice at CSUDH.
JEANNE,
LAST WEEK WE DISCUSSED THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE WITHIN A SCHOOL SETTING AND EVERYDAY LIFE. THE TWO GENTLEMEN THAT SPOKE IN CLASS BROUGHT UP SOME INTERESTING POINTS REGARDING THE PROS AND CONS OF THIS TOPIC. I FEEL THAT ELIMINATING STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE COMPLETELY WILL LEAD TO ANARCHY. SOME STUDENTS CANNOT HANDLE AN OPEN FORUM WHERE THEY WOULD TRULY DOCUMENT WHAT ASSIGNMENTS THEY HAVE COMPLETED AND WOULD BE READY FOR A CLASS DISCUSSION. FOR THESE PARTICULAR STUDENTS, THERE MUST BE A SET OF RULES THAT ONE MUST ABIDE BY TO ELIMINATE CHEATING, HOWEVER FOR THE STUDENT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH AND EFFECTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN THIS NEW METHOD OF TEACHING, ONE WOULD SEEK KNOWLEDGE NOT ONLY FROM A SINGULAR PERSPECTIVE, BUT FROM MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES ACHIEVING KNOWLEDGE FROM SELF, CLASSMATES AND INSTRUCTOR.
MY CURRENT TEACHER ENGAGES IN A SETTINGS THAT IS SOMEWHAT FREE FROM STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE. HE TEACHES FINITE MATHEMATICS AND TO THIS DATE HE HAS NOT PASSED OUT SYLLABI TO THE CLASS. LIKE THE STUDENTS IN OUR SOC CLASS; STUDENTS IN OUR MATH CLASS WONDERED WHY WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN A SYLLABUS AND WE ARE GOING ON OUR THIRD WEEK. THE TEACHER STATED TO THE CLASS THAT HE CANNOT PASS OUT A GUIDELINE TO FOLLOW IF THE WHOLE CLASS IS NOT ON THE SAME LEVEL; THIS IS WHY HE ASSIGNS WORK AS THE CLASS PROGRESSES. HE WANTS EVERYONE TO LEARN AND TO ME THIS IS EFFECTIVE. WE DO NOT COMPETE;WE HELP EACH OTHER BY DISCUSSING ASSIGNMENTS AS A CLASS AND SHOWING OUR WORK ON THE BOARD.
- Notes from Thursday night:
These are my notes from Thursday night:
definition of problem: reported or perceived lack of integrity of students
proposed alternative: redefine our expectations, basing the new definitions on the reality of present student life in a commuter school. Need to redefine:
good student
structural violence
academic integrity
plagiarism - these are all terms associated with academic integrity
These are some of the unstated assumptions we suspect are operative in the above defintions:
students have alternatives that of time, space, and the ability to control them. This alternative does not hold as the modern student faces conflicting demands.
Martha Minow defines one of the problematic unstated assumptions as: "Difference is intrinsic, not a comparison." She points out that "difference cannot be understood except as a contrast between instances, or between a norm and an example." (at p. 54). Students today, in commuter colleges, rarely have three hours of quiet time for concentrated study on a given course. Yet that difference should not be interpreted as suggesting that today's student is less serious, or less devoted to his/her studies. We need to make serious and conscious comparisons so that we can better realize what feasible alternatives exist for both teachers and students.
"Assumption 2: The Norm Need Not be Stated" (at p. 56)
Minow reminds us that we always base our expectations on a norm. We are comparing behavior; we need to know "compared to what?" "to whom?" Yet most of our rules are written, most of our perceptions of what academic integrity is, are formed without ever stating the norm on whiich we are basing our ideas.
"Assumption 3: the Observer Can See without a Perspective"
Minow reminds us there is always a perspective. We cannot be neutral. In our insistence upon failing to acknowledge our own perspective, we falsify the scientific perspective we meant to take. The teacher who was provided time and support for study needs to state that perspective in order to hear in good faith his/her students who do not have that support. Yes, of course, if students really want to make the effort they can, but what if they have never experienced some of the support they need? Especially with our younger students, we need to help them find new ways to cope with the many conflicting interests and the fast pace.
More to come . . .