Reading Response Essay Sample

The association of belief and culture is evident through the explanation that the teacher tries to provide in explaining certain behaviors that are portrayed by their student. This is established through the statement where it is put that teachers are prone to associating culture with things that they are not in a position to properly elaborate. Through associating culture and certain characteristics in their students that they cannot explain, they take comfort through believing that it is some form of culture that has been in existence over the years. Through this, they can take comfort in thinking that they may have reached a suitable explanation to the matters that they cannot entirely understand.
Culture in other instances is also seen to be used as a term that defines certain activities that are frequently conducted in an institution. A proper example of culture in this instance would be using culture to define a routine that has been common over a period of years in a given institution. If an individual fails to give a proper explanation of why a certain activity is in existence in a school, they may simply state that it is a school culture. Through associating culture with the given routine, the respondent will have easily gotten away with not having to explain something that they may not be fully aware of. In this instance, the teachers perhaps may not be aware of certain activities that routinely take place in the school.
However, despite the association of culture and things that people may fail to understand entirely, a change in relation to these beliefs is essential (Ladson-Billings 7). This is seen in the recommendations that the various authors try to put across in their arguments. It is evident that the authors are not entirely in support of the various arguments that are provided by students and teachers in trying to associate culture with everything. This is evident through the arguments that are presented where the need to create understanding is encouraged. This is through encouraging the different persons involved to conduct the study to provide a deeper understanding of what they think certain behaviors are in general. This can only be achieved through the disassociation of culture with everything that might be difficult to explain (Ladson-Billings 105). The freedom of thought is also encouraged where every person is required to express fully in what they think a particular thing amounts to. Freedom of thought is seen to be the key to providing the limitations that have been in existence following the association of culture with different things (Lewis 25). I also recommend for the need of understanding the different personalities that may be available. This is vital in explaining why certain individual behaves in a particular manner. The approach is applicable in challenging baseless claims that may result to the failure of certain students.
Having reviewed the different arguments that the authors have provided, I acknowledge that there lies a need to try and eliminate the mode of thinking where culture is associated with things that we may fail to understand. This is because, if proper thought is given towards a particular issue, it is likely that a proper and reasonable solution will be reached. This will be effective in providing an appropriate answer to any queries that may arise in the future regarding a wide range of matters.

Work Cited

Bereiter, Carl & Englemann Siegfried. “Cultural Deprivation as language deprivation”.13-24.
Erickson, Fredrick. “Conceptions of School Culture: An Overview” Educational Administration Quarterly 23 (4). (1987): 11-27.
Ladson-Billings, Gloria. “From the Achievement Gap to the Education Debt: Understanding Achievement in U.S. schools” Educational Researcher 35 (7). (2006): 3-12.
Ladson-Billings, Gloria. “It’s not the culture of poverty, it’s the poverty of culture: The problem with teacher education.” Anthropology and Education Quarterly 37(2), (2006): 104-109.
Lewis, Oscar. “The culture of Poverty” Scientific American 215 (4). (1996): 19-25.