Module 2 of Educational Psychology

Module 2: Labels, Groups, and Gender

Concept 1: Labels for Disabilities 

Summary 

    In Chapter 4 of Woolfolk, the author discusses the advantages and disadvantages of labeling students based on their disabilities.  One position holds that "Labels can become self-fulfilling prophecies" (Woolfolk, p. 122).  In other words, when students are told they are autistic, they give up because they see the label as a defining limit on their abilities.  The other position says that "Being labeled as 'special needs' protects the child" (Woolfolk, p. 122).  They can receive the support they need and people will be more understanding of their characteristics.  Which way should our schools lean? 

Reflection 

    I think labeling disabilities is a complex issue.  I do not stand with either of the positions above.  Rather, I take more of a middle ground.  Yes, students should be diagnosed with their disability so that they can receive the help that will guide them toward success.  However, the disability should not be seen as the student's defining factor.  For example, if a person is told they have diabetes, they do not suddenly become that disease or put their identity in it.  Rather, they consider it as a part of themselves that they have to learn to live with.  This same logic can be applied to disabilities in education.  That disability is not who the student is, but rather a part of the larger picture.  The label is simply the "passport" to the support needed to live with the disability.  

One example I saw in real life was a student who obviously was dyslexic.  He was struggling in English because reading took at least two times as long as it took the other students.  However, despite these challenges, his parents refuse to have him diagnosed because they did not want him to carry a label with him his entire life.  This decision resulted in the child not receiving any support.  He hated reading and was always frustrated with his limitations.  Yes, the child did not have a label, but he did not have help either.  Therefore, I do think labels are necessary, but they should not be seen as the whole of who the student is.  There is so much to a person beyond school and we must learn to recognize this.  

Concept 2: Group Membership

Summary 

    There are many groups in our world.  They are usually based on gender, class, race, or culture.  Humans tend to make assumptions about people based on the groups they are a part of.  This can cause significant problems and prejudices.  In Woolfolk, Chapter 6, the author states that "Group membership is not destiny.  Just knowing a student is a member of a particular cultural group does not define what that student is like" (Woolfolk, p. 221).  In other words, a student is more than the groups they are in.  How do we understand students with this knowledge?  

Reflection 

    Everyone belongs to groups.  I belong to the groups white, female, student, German, and so many others.  However, just because a student belongs to a group does not mean they fit into the expectations of that group.  For example, there was a student in my placement in middle school who was an African American male from an urban area.  The assumptions that go with this group might include poor or a rough life.  However, contrary to these ideas, this boy was the son of a CEO and lived in what I would consider to be a mansion.  Therefore, we should not make assumptions about a person based on the groups they belong to.  Often, they are not correct and can cause conflict and tension.  Rather, we should get to know each student personally and see what they are like apart from their groups.  There are so many aspect to each student, so we must see them as who they are, not what we would expect them to be.  

Concept 3: Gender in School

Summary 

    There are biases against boys and girls in school.  Woolfolk, Chapter 6, says that boys get more attention from teacher, are given more feedback, are expected to be better at math, and receive more praise than girls.  On the other hand, girls are more likely to have higher achievement in school than boys.  How do we work with these biases in the classroom? 

Reflection 

    There are always going to be some differences between boys and girls.  There have been many attempts to teach in a way that is profitable to both boys and girls.  One suggestion, mentioned in Woolfolk Chapter 6 was separate classrooms for boys and girls.  However, this did not work well because it simply made gender stereotypes more prevalent.  There is not one way to teach all boys or all girls.  Each student is an individual, so we cannot simply assume their learning style based on their gender.  Instead, teachers should be careful to avoid sexist comments or habits in the classroom.  For example, in one of my aiding placements, a teacher asked the boys to move some chairs around.  A girl leaned over and told me the teacher did not think the girls where strong because she never asked them to move chairs.  I could see why she would think this, even though it was not the teacher's intention.  We truly need to be careful to give all students our attention and show that they are all equally capable.    


Comments

  1. Rebecca Sweeney's BlogJanuary 30, 2022 at 4:28 PM

    Hi Sarah,

    You had so many great things to say! I agree with your position of how the label of disability the student receives does not define who the student is but rather it helps the student with services needed along with allowing the teacher to be able to use different strategies to help them. Your experiences that you shared are great connections to your concepts that you talked about and they helped me understand the concepts. I really like thinking about the questions that you ask at the end of your summaries for each concept because it gets me thinking about what has been talked about and what experiences I have had.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Maggie OttoFebruary 6, 2022 at 5:46 PM

    Hi Sarah,

    I think you have a greta perspective on labeling disabilities, I would agree with you. Children should get the diagnoses they need so that they will have the support they need, but we should make sure that these disabilities do not define who they are completely. By reducing the sigmas around certain disabilities, hopefully parents and children don’t have to be ashamed about being diagnosed.

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