View unanswered posts | View active topics It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:35 pm



Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
 Mexico 
Author Message
All-star
All-star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:53 pm
Posts: 30
Location: Boone
Ok so there were things I wanted to share in class but I did not have time for. We were talking about Hispanic students because of home on the field. So here are some basics to help future teachers...

Mexico and the rest of the Latin AMERICAN countries often consider themselves as living in America, because they do. We live in the United States of America, there is a difference.

In Mexico schools are still ran to accommodate a rural economy. Classes run for a quarter to half a day, most of the time with a break to work the fields, and often come back together after. What this means is students from Mexico often have shorter attention spans because that is what they are accustomed to.

Public schools in Mexico are pretty poor, for a good education students go to private school where many of them will often study English, even go to classes that use only English.

"Mexican" is not a language

Mexican used to describe a Mexican is fine, Hispanic can be saved for when you don't know where the student is from.

Just because they look "Hispanic" doesn't mean they speak Spanish, they could speak Portuguese, English, or any other language.

That whole talking slow and loud thing isn't as helpful as you think.

Slang permeates the American English dialect, it adds another level of complexity to the workings of the language.

_________________
Jacob


Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:36 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:56 pm
Posts: 27
Location: Sugar Grove, NC
Post 
Thanks for posting that. From living in Cali and Texas, hispanics and latinos are offended when they are called "mexicans." I noticed in class, a lot of people were just saying mexican instead of latinos or hispanics. Please use proper terminology when referring to a race.


Fri Apr 25, 2008 1:38 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:33 pm
Posts: 28
Post 
thank you. "Mexican" is NOT a language, it's a race. I have heard SO MANY people refer to hispanics working in fields or hard labor "Mexicans".....but honestly, you don't know where they're from until you ask them!!!!! I noticed the word "Mexican" thrown around in class as well, and Seth is completely right...if we're the least bit unsure of their race (and how can we be sure, unless we ASK them), use "Hispanic" or "Latino." Not all hispanics come from Mexico.
I was going to bring this point up on the forum, but Jacob beat me to the punch.

I never thought about slang being a hindrance when learning English. Gives me something to ponder.

_________________
Holly Riddle


Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:53 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:28 am
Posts: 28
Post 
The best thing that we can do as teachers is be positive about diversity-- and teach the topic to the best of our ability and be knowledgeable about the subject. While I was watching Freedom Writers in one of my classes, there was a scene where there was a black girl in one of the honors classes at the school and they were reading "The Color Purple," the teacher was the most ignorant person ever and he asked her to "share her views after reading the book because she was black." She was livid and it made me remember talking about singling people our because of their skin color in class. I don't know that I could ever actually picture someone doing that unless they actually have stated before that they were from a specific place and had experienced things that were being discussed and willingly offered their opinion. Jacob's comment about the way someone looks has nothing to do with what language they speak or where they were born is so true. I know it's kind of rude, but I couldn't help but laugh when I read what he said about talking loud and slow. I don't know how many times I've seen people do that. Movies show that all the time and it's always one of those things that completely baffles me and I wonder "how is it that someone could possibly think that just because they're from a different country and speak a different language that they're stupid, and hard of hearing."

_________________
Kim Volker


Sun Apr 27, 2008 4:49 pm
Profile
All-star
All-star
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:23 am
Posts: 36
Post 
Mexican isn't a race, it is a nationality...just thought I'd throw that out there. There can be Mexicans from European, African, or Native American descent.

_________________
Merry Lauren Futch


Last edited by Lauren Futch on Mon Apr 28, 2008 1:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.



Sun Apr 27, 2008 10:35 pm
Profile
All-star
All-star
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:45 am
Posts: 34
Post 
Lots of good insights Jacob. I know my students love when their teachers recognize their Mexican origin, but often times people only call them Mexicans when they are trying to say it in a hurtful or derogatory way. That's just a shame. Mexico is a beautiful county and the people are amazing. But it's definitely true that people of other Latino nationalities do not like being called Mexican. When I studied abroad in Guatemala, they told me that this is because other Hispanics living in Mexico are often taunted much in the same way that all Hispanics in the US are taunted because Mexicans think they are better than other because they are closer to the US (this is NOT my opinion, it's word for word what one of my Guatemalan teachers told me). I didn't know what to think about that because all of the Mexicans that I have ever met have been incredibly nice and good people, but then again couldn't someone say that about the people here- Americans think they are better than others? I mean the description of a whole country full of people based on experiences with certain ones who treat you poorly... I think it's a series of misconceptions and distrust that affect more than just Hispanics in our country, but that the mistreatment here leads to mistreatment elsewhere. This world we live in is all connected, and we could change the trend by doing good for others and being accepting of people who are different.


Mon Apr 28, 2008 9:19 am
Profile
All-star
All-star
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:45 am
Posts: 34
Post 
Oh, and I wanted to say you're right about that just because someone may appear Hispanic doesn't mean they speak Spanish. My uncle is half Japanese and half Irish but he looks like he could be Hispanic (dark features, tan skin) and people often assume that he is Hispanic. When they start speaking Spanish to him he just looks at them because he knows like three words. Sometimes he'll speak Japanese back to them just to make a point.


Mon Apr 28, 2008 9:22 am
Profile
All-star
All-star
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:41 pm
Posts: 44
Post 
A little off of topic, but when we were talking about Hispanics, I thought about two books that I had to read for my block classes. The Circuit and Breaking Through, if anyone has the opportunity, are two great books about one Hispanic family struggling to make ends meet. The Circuit is the prequel to Breaking Through, so definitely check that one out first.


Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:45 am
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic   [ 8 posts ] 

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by ST Software for PTF.