Outraged email I sent to Jacobus re Wright's education comments

[DebJ]

Ms. Jacobus, I am a 52 year old Caucasian teaching student at Millersville University in Pennsylvania.
My husband has been an inner city teacher for 24 years, and all of our friends are teachers with years
of experience as well. We are absolutely shocked by your comments on education made on CNN
this evening, since you are yourself an educator at an esteemed university. I see from the website that
GW has an education program. I intend to forward of copy of this email to the Dean, in the hopes that
the education department there can assist you.

You criticized Rev Wright's speech in which he spoke of the differences between average African American
learning styles and average European American learning styles. Your opinion was that people would be
offended by the statement that there is such a thing as a different learning style. You clearly communicated
that there is only one way to learn, or else one can not learn at all. Whether or not other (uninformed)
viewers will agree with you remains to be seen, but YOUR opinion was made very clear: there is only one way
to learn, (the European American way) or else the student is not educable. I am stunned to hear this coming
from a university professor's mouth on a national television program, and particularly from one associated with
George Washington University.

Clearly, if your comments were honestly presented (as opposed to being put forth for political purposes only,
no matter your belief or disbelief in those statements), your education was not in education, for the comments
you found 'damaging' were quite simply educational theory that is very effective in classroom teaching. I just
studied the ideas espoused by Rev. Wright, and then I saw those ideas come alive in actual classrooms. What you
will likely find dumbfounding is that European American students also learn better when learning is less isolated and
objective, and is instead vitalized with social learning and communication. In other words, your 'right' way is not
the most effective way to achieve maximum learning for all students when the teacher adheres solely to these rigid
and monotonous methods that you clearly claim are the only way to learn. Not even for the European American students.

Any student of history can easily explain why what Rev Wright calls the "European American" style of education came
to dominate our educational practices: Europeans were better at dominating. Not better people, or even smarter people,
but people who were better at dominating, no matter what it took to achieve that dominance. What it took most of all,
was the perspective that all peoples are resources that should be treated like coal or oil, that is to say, resources that
should be used for their immediate 'cash value' or profit-producing potential, rather than being 'utilized' for their greatest
potential: their minds. Is this a perspective based on Republican values? On the values of a Democratic society? Or of
some other type of society? What are the moral values of such a society? They are not our values. They are not values
that cherish human life. History has repeatedly revealed where such 'values' lead mankind, and it is not in an upward direction.
I sincerely hope these are not the values espoused and taught at your esteemed George Washington University. I
certainly hope they are not taught in your classes there, but I must pause and wonder after your extremely ethnocentric
comments detailed your hubris.


As I prefer to presume your comments were rendered with integrity and honesty, might I make a few suggestions?

1. You would find it illuminating to spend a few weeks in an inner city, diverse middle school or high school classroom
in which you actually attempt to teach based on the very sound theories of varied learning styles. You will be stunned
to personally discover that students do learn very well in a variety of styles. ALL students. Or, simply observe
a diverse, inner city classroom for awhile. Or, you could simply refer to the studies made by professionals in the
field of education, where we seek effective means to utilize all of that precious resource called human life. These
would be studies with results that match those quoted by Rev. Wright! Perhaps the education department at GW
would be willing to provide you with such a real life, down to earth, non-elitist, common man, educational experience.
As Washington, D.C. was my birthplace, I am painfully aware that you can easily find amazing experiences in schools
right there close to you in the District. I would recommend schools in the Anacostia area, right near our Capitol. You
would be amazed at the different universe that exists so close, and is so ignored and uncherished.

2. Might I suggest a simple google search for learning styles? There are indeed many different learning styles; some
of these are of genetic origin and some are of social construct. Those teachers who are truly dedicated to teaching
and genuine learning vary their styles so as to effectively teach all learners. Again, this is starkly opposed to your
clearly stated concept that there is one 'right' way or only one way at all to learn, and that if one can not learn in
that one manner, one is not educable.

The strength of the human race is its diversity. Was not Einstein an anomaly? I understand that the standard
European education system was a struggle for him. Indeed, all the great minds of history were anomalies. Many
were persecuted for their ingenious ideas by small minds who insisted they knew it all. Those who 'think outside the
box' have always been the leaders in the progress of the human race. Nothing is more diverse, nor more valuable,
than the human mind. How then can there be only one way to learn? This is a poor analogy, but for lack of another,
to say that there is only one way to learn, only one way to effectively use a human mind, is like saying that there is
only one way to produce music from an instrument, and there is only'good' music or 'bad' music, instead of different
styles. How much more complicated and eloquent is the human mind than is a simple piano or guitar? How dull a
world if all the music ever created was confined to that of the 18th century! Harpsichord, anyone?

Here is my Christian perspective: there is one greater gift that our Creator gave to us than the infiinite diversity
of life that He took great joy in creating, and that is the GIFT TO MAN TO BE ABLE TO APPRECIATE DIVERSITY.
How can one believe in God and moral values, and not see that He is the one who took such great joy in the
diversity of His creations? Small minds can only focus on one way (i.e. their way) as the only way . . . the great
mind of God has revealed to us through his Creative talents that there are infinite ways to do many things. Small
minds, very small minds, think in terms of 'the right way,' and this way is their way, and their way alone. They have
not the spirit nor the talent to broaden their horizons and truly cherish God's gifts. How tragic. Should people of
such an outlook as this be attempting to lead our country and the world? To educate our people? To design
education programs and then subject millions to those programs? Or do we need people whose own minds who
are broad enough to encompass this diversity to be leading us towards a goal of broadening all of our students'
minds?

Those who design and promote standardized tests would do well to listen to Rev Wright. . . if indeed the
goal of NCLB supporters WAS education. To many of us, the intent instead appears to be to stifling the
great capabilities of the human mind, and to treat the human mind and human potential as if it were the
creation of an assembly line producing identical products at high speed. Perhaps the advantage to this
perception of education is to 'create' humans who act the part of androids or drones simply obeying orders
instead of seeking the better way to do things? Perhaps the hidden advantage is to discourage students
from genuine learning, from learning to 'think outside the box' by teaching them to 'think inside little
circles' filled in with #2 pencils? This 'advantage' flies in the face of the incredibly patriotic, pride stirring phrase
"American ingenuity". No wonder US business struggles today. We are not seeking the maximum potential of our
hundreds of millions of minds (for those who live for profits and tax credits for the wealthy, this also means we
are not fulfilling our GDP potential). We are instead trying to make all minds the same, that one perfect (albeit not thinking)
product. Cram and test, cram and test. If you do not learn best via the European model, then, as you clearly
communicated, you are ineducable. You are so very, very, very tragically wrong.

I must emphasize that not all 'values' in this world translate into products from which one can make a lot of
money. There are REAL VALUES other than U.S. dollar signs. Certainly human potential, human learning, human
creativity ranks in the highest order . . . it is not the extent to which we can all be the same that makes us
valuable, but the direct opposite. This is a genuine meaning to being 'pro-life,' and 'pro-education,' and
'pro-American,' and 'pro-democracy.' I understand that your talents lie as a media communicator for the
Republican party. If you are truly communicating the values of your party, then I understand the failure of
the American educational system. And I will fight that failure with every ounce of my being with every ally I can
garnish for the rest of my life, because human lives, the value of human life itself, hangs in the balance.

[kid a]

1. That is beautiful! Thanks for sharing...

I wrote a short note to CNN about her.
Wasn't as eloquent though.

[dkf]

2. I'm curious...are we saying that learning via left or right brain is

genetic and connected to race?

If so, what would happen to a half white half black student?

Or is it that as a culture we raise our kids differently and therefore cause the difference in how the brain is wired?

This is fascinating stuff...

[DebJ]

3. I did not say a word about race . . . genetics does not equal race

Skin color is apparently derived from one small genetic factor much the same as eye color.

I believe that the left brain right brain concepts are being taken down by recent scientific methods such as MRIs et al that track brain activity, but this would have been what was taught until rather recently. But the rest of his speech (as much as I heard)was exactly on the mark. I am a student who has almost completed my BS in Education for grades 7-12 in social studies with a concentration in history. I also have a son who is severely bipolar and have done a lot of reading on the brain whenever I could.

Despite that change in research, the general categorization of attributes established by the idea of left brain or right brain thinking may still represent somewhat valid general
patterns of perceiving and acting in the world . . . people who are more active and creative and social versus people (like me) who are not any of those things but sure admire
those with those qualities. The change might be in seeing the genetic cause of those differences as a much more complex compilation of brain activities than simply the physical location of those characteristics in one lobe or the other.
The social and communication patterns of average African American students is different than those patterns in average white communities. Transmission of social cultures is at least part of the explanation for that difference. I would profer the concept that slavery contributed to the strengthening of verbal social skills and different ways of communicating in that it suppressed reading and writing and/or assimilation into white cultural modes. Wouldn't you agree?
As Wright rightly said, different is not deficient, it is just different. I am adding to that statement that there is great potential and value in that difference.

[dkf]

5. I guess I'm wondering how that translates to teaching...

does that mean every lesson should be taught in two different ways so that all students can get the benefit of the lesson or does it mean that there are techniques that better incorporate multiple learning styles.

My sister was just explaining to me about teaching autistic kids and I found it completely fascinating. She was talking about teaching via visual aids and activities, and also using visual planning to help alleviate anxiety, which is a very powerful thing in the life of an autistic child. She mentioned to me that she had learned a new technique in the last couple of years which had changed the way she was teaching her kids and was leading to great success (and also an overabundance of work as more students request her school) and I found it incredible that we still seem to not understand all this very well.

I'm guessing that this is the case for education in general.

Anyway, I do appreciate your post. Thank you for your insights.

[DebJ]

11. Incorporating multilple learning styles over the course of a year

or unit or where possible within a lesson : visual, auditory, social learning styles, reading, talking, have the students teach /use the information, apply it. Some people learn from the details to the broad ideas, some learn best from the main idea and then add the details. I'm too tired and should be in bed but if you google learning styles you can actually take tests to determine what your style is. I actually learn best myself for most academic subjects in a quiet room with a book . . . but actually, I think that makes me a minority. But everyone including me learns best when as many of the senses and/or learning styles are incorporated as can be incorporated. What would your concept of warm chocolate cake be if you only saw it, but never smelled it, or touched its soft flakiness, or tasted it? Ideas of any type are best 'digested' by using them/experiencing them in many ways. Each of us is either genetically inclined and/or socially trained / habituated to absorbing information best in different ways.

[FlaGranny]

4. I'm not an expert and

I don't have a degree in anything, but, with complete confidence I'll say that nothing is ever 100% one way or the other.

[dkf]

6. I agree...I'm left handed and that whole "left handed people are more creative"

thing doesn't seem to apply to me.

Not in any way I ever recognized at least.

[DebJ]

16. Actually 'learning' does physically effect the structure of the

brain, in the form of neural connections that are made, or that are at certain points in life trimmed from the brain if not used (as in one period in high school).

[DerekJ]

7. Kick

[gaspee]

8. People are individuals

You can't possibly mean to say that all, or even most, African American kids learn differently from kids of other races. That is preposterous and does a great disservice to them.

[DebJ]

14. Yes I can possibly mean to say that, and here is why I agree with

scientific studies in the field of education. I am not saying that African Americans learn differently than kids of all races. Asian and Native American cultures also function with more socially-oriented learning and less of the individual me only competitive focus found in our society. Upon what basis do you deny the verity of scientific and educational studies and how many classrooms have you been in so as to form some basis of experience? What is the source of your opinion?

Are YOU saying that everyone is the same? I am saying that everyone is different, that all of those differences are valuable and critical to the survival of the human race, that the very definition of 'culture' implies ways of doing things within one people that are different than the ways things are done in another group of people . . . that is what we mean by culture . . . are you saying that there is no African American culture? THAT is offensive.

The status of education today is definitive evidence of the disservice done by insisting that there is only one way to learn!!! THAAT is the disservice. I am sure you can find the statistics easily enough with google, they are everywhere. Our education system in part has failed because educators have not recognized that people learn in different ways. Our education system has failed because we try to make everyone conform to the android white man's model of learning (and everything else for that matter). To say there is only one way to learn is absurd. To say that the means by which we learn things can not be influenced by culture is absurd.
Oops. I'm guessing you really did not read my entire post.
Time for bed for me.

[Frustratedlady]

9. We are going to hear a lot more inane statements, as I don't think

people listened. They heard Rev. Wright speak, but didn't comprehend. Even the newscaster and Republican "spinner" got it wrong.

Sometimes, I find myself banging my head against the wall but I just can't help it. :banghead:

[IndependentDem]

13. i feel the same way, why don't people get it? n/t

[kerry-is-my-prez]

10. So you had heard about this right brain left brain thing being connected to race before?

I had never heard about that - it's been a long time since I've graduated and I guess it must be a more recent study....

[Seabiscuit]

12. Shakespeare already wrote a play about all this:

"Much Ado About Nothing".

[ruby slippers]

15. Any teacher who has trained in the scientific study of education knows

that indeed not all kids learn the same way. Whether or not all black kids learn from their right brains or all white European kids learn from their left brains, the remarks made by Jacobus were indeed inflamatory. I would have also forwarded your letter to CNN. Here is their email in case you so desire. They are just as guilty for bringing on such an ill-informed guest.

[e-mail]

Anyway, for those of you wondering about different learning styles, actually there are also three definite styles. One is either auditory, visual, or kinesthetic. Auditory, of course lends to those who learn from "hearing the material" and respond to teaching by listening. Visual is keenly adapted to those who need to "see" the material and are the booklearners and chalkboard junkies. And, kinesthetic applies to those who need to "feel" the material, or manipulate it and supply most of our industrial trade workers.

Then, there are personality types. We are all accustomed to the Type A and Type B's, right?

And, then, there is the infamous 4Mat Learning Wheel....

Here is a brief synopis...

Type 1: Innovative Learners are primarily interested in personal meaning. They need to have reasons for learning--ideally, reasons that connect new information with personal experience and establish that information's usefulness in daily life. Some of the many instructional modes effective with this learner type are cooperative learning, brainstorming, and integration of content areas (e.g., science with social studies, writing with the arts, etc.). favorite question WHY are we doing this?

Type 2: Analytic Learners are primarily interested in acquiring facts in order to deepen their understanding of concepts and processes. They are capable of learning effectively from lectures, and enjoy independent research, analysis of data, and hearing what "the experts" have to say. favorite question WHAT are we going to do with this?

Type 3: Common Sense Learners are primarily interested in how things work; they want to "get in and try it." Concrete, experiential learning activities work best for them--using manipulatives, hands-on tasks, kinesthetic experience, etc. favorite question HOW are we going to do it?

Type 4: Dynamic Learners are primarily interested in self-directed discovery. They rely heavily on their own intuition, and seek to teach both themselves and others. Any type of independent study is effective for these learners. They also enjoy simulations, role play, and games. favorite question WHAT IF we do THIS?

For more on this: http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/msh/llc/is/4mat.html

While I can't say that I entirely agree with Rev. Wright that white and black children can be split into two distinct learning styles based entirely on their race, the fact that Jacobus says that there is only ONE learning style, as she most certainly did tonight in her snooty analysis of a speech that she only read "parts" of and never even heard directly, definitely put her over the top.

But, this said, I certainly hope that Rev. Wright has at least fostered a discussion that "No Child Left Behind" teaches only ONE way and that our educational systems need to teach to ALL children based on their own individual learning styles rather than just one test.

[FlaGranny]

17. Very interesting post.. Thank you.

I think I'm a combination of types 3 and 4, with elements of 1 and 2. :-)

I don't believe Rev. Wright actually meant ALL blacks learn one way and ALL whites learn another way; I assumed he meant a preponderance of each, which makes perfect sense to me.

[ruby slippers]

18. thanks. Just keep in mind, though, that 1's and 3's are....

incompatible with each other and 2's and 4's don't get along well, either.

But, yes, you can be a composite. Imagine a circle (that is why they call it a wheel) and it is divided into four quarters. You can fall close to another number, which would explain why you feel torn toward two. There is actaully a question test that will plot your answers and when you pick up the sheet, it will show you exactly where you fall on the wheel. Yes, it is very interesting. I learned about it once in an inservice day when I was teaching and it is fascinating once you think about it. It sure made an impact on me....