Summary Of Toni Little's Face

As prospective school social workers we will likely, at some point, assist students who are up against similar adversities as the AP students at Crenshaw high school. The optimistic side to that notion, just as Corwin (1997) documented, is “…the students who avoid the temptations…who, against all odds …manage to endure, to prevail, to succeed” (p. 2). A quintessential inner-city school that housed delinquent students who were transformed by a determined teacher, is not portrayed. More inspirationally, the students who despite hindrances to their basic human rights, education and future, were able to overcome, with the support of their imperfect teachers and families. The author displays the interplay between environments, students, administrators, and current events that add to their stressors. Crenshaw high school is located in South-Central, Los Angeles, an ethnic melting pot riddled with gang activity, homicide, crime and poverty. Students, by association, are pressured to fail, and most of them are set up to fail by deficiencies of their parents. Mama Moultrie’s biggest challenge is Toni Little’s aggressive behavior, and the conflicting perspectives and philosophies of the AP English Department. Little’s greatest challenge is the personal …show more content…
Since Claudia is a Latina and the location of her residence and school are significant, the M-E approach will take into account her psychological experiences and sociopolitical influences, or the larger, outside systems that may be affecting her behavior, such as racism or gang violence. Although their gifted program keeps them in separate rooms from lower-level peers, Claudia and her classmates still walk the halls with gang bangers and thugs. At times Claudia and her classmates are bullied for doing well in school; however, the gifted program has served as a safety