Race And Ethnicity Matter Summary

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Willis D. Hawley and Sonia Nieto Wrote an article “Another Inconvenient Truth: Race and Ethnicity Matter” that looks into the problem that race and ethnic backgrounds cause in modern life. They use 4 main writing strategies in their article; Take on the Big Concepts, Call Out the Quiet Argument, Break Down Your Reasons, and Support Your Reasons. Hawley and Nieto take on the big concept by stating that there are “shameful differences in the academic outcomes and graduation rates of students of color compared too many Asian and white students” (Hawley and Nieto 1). They also shed some light on conflict by stating, “Being more conscious of race and ethnicity is not discriminatory; it’s realistic” (Hawley and Nieto 1).
Most people would think
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In their article they present some fixes for, the educational system that will cure the conflict between white people and people of different race and ethnic backgrounds. One fix that they present “involves looking at some common beliefs about teaching and learning that often undermine students’ opportunities to learn but which we sustain because they seem sensible and are, in many cases, well-meaning” (Hawley and Nieto 2). Another fix for the educational environment is to use the experiences of those who are from a different ethnic background as a learning resource. Hawley and Nieto elaborate on this fix further by stating that “all students bring cultural values and experiences to their education, yet schools frequently disregard them” (Hawley and Nieto 4). If these fixes work, then there will be less conflict and more friendly relations between white people and people of different race and ethnic …show more content…
This conflict can take form in a common belief, or way of thinking, that makes others want to ignore the difference and conflict that occurs when white people and people of color interact with each other. Hawley and Nieto suggest a solution to this problem by saying, “changing a culture requires changing more than just attitudes and beliefs—it requires changing behaviors” (Hawley and Nieto 5). One solution to this problem could be to stop this negative behavior in the younger generation. A way to implement this solution is to get teachers to understand how to discover these behaviors and how to form the proper behavior, to those of different race and ethnic backgrounds (Hawley and Nieto 1). This solution will at least bring awareness of the wrong behaviors, if not cure the conflict.
Hawley and Nieto analyze their reason why the educational system is the cure for this conflict. They break down their reasoning by stating, “race and ethnicity influence teaching and learning in two important ways: They affect how students respond to instruction and curriculum, and they influence teachers’ assumptions about how students learn and how much students are capable of learning” (Hawley and Nieto 1). If not properly directed this type of influence could cause a bigger conflict that will have drastic

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