How Are Schools Integrated?

 To answer this question simply, I would say our schools are not integrated. The term "redlining" plays a huge factor into why we see segregated schools even today, so let's take a deeper look into what this means, and how we can truly integrate our schools so that no child is left out. 

Decades of racial federal policies have made it so that we see majority White neighborhoods, and majority Black neighborhoods. In the 1930's FDR created loan programs to help people finance their homes. As a result of this, there were green, or "good," neighborhoods which allowed individuals to receive loans, and red, or "bad," neighborhoods who could not receive any financial assistance, therefore, creating the term "redlining." Even after these racist policies were changed, people living in the "red zones" did not have enough money to afford the increased property rates within the "green zones," so at this time there was nothing else to do but to stay and reside in the "red zones." Because of this unfair advantage people of color were subjected to live in the red areas with no other options, which meant zoning to schools with lower property tax incomes and less money to provide students with resources they need. Many people, like myself, do not realize that the government still enforces these policies, such as banks charging higher rates on loans for Black homebuyers, and it leads our students to attend majority White or Black schools. So I would not says our schools are integrated, but by becoming more aware of the racial inequalities we see homebuyers and people of color face, we can begin to make a change.

I believe one way we can truly make our schools integrated is to rethink our zoning policies many school districts have in place. We must think about equal access, and if we provided families with a lottery-based plan for where their child attends school, the diversity dynamic could be shifted so that all schools are integrated. I gathered my information from 3 Promising Models of School Integration, where Matt Gonzales, an advocate for the New York Appleseed, says "Desegregation is about creating diverse spaces and breaking down barriers to access.” “Integration is about the cultural and pedagogical school climate shifts [needed] to create a truly equitable environment.” This quote stuck out to me because of the success New York schools have had with this mindset, and I hope one day Texas can make the same changes. 

How can Educational Philosophies Influence Schooling?

 As time passes, society advances and new ideas form about schooling, and more specifically how we should educate children. There are many philosophies about how and what should be taught in public schools, with the most popular and well-known methods seeming outdated. As future teachers we must educate ourselves about the different teaching methods in order to provide a quality education that influences our students to engage in their learning.

Theories such as Perrenialism and Essentialism are known to be "teacher-centered" philosophies, and is used as the leading style in our current public education system. Although these theories are the most commonly utilized today and do assist in developing skills such as critical thinking within students, I don't necessarily view these as the most beneficial for learning. These philosophies leave little room for creativity or children's interests, and focus on insuring that students acquire a common core of knowledge in a systematic, disciplined way. I believe that when these methods are used we see more students disengage and feel as if the content doesn't apply to them, leading to poorer academic performance in the classroom. 

"Student-centered" philosophies on the other hand, such as Progressivism, Multiculturalism, Constructivism, and Eclecticism, allow students to create their own meaning of things using their experiences and interests, and draws on different ideas and theories to gain insight about real world topics and issues. These tend to be lesser known and less exercised philosophies because they do not always have a strict set of "rules" or "guidelines" to follow, but in my opinion that means we can create our own values as a class, and draw from different sources of captivating information to develop basic skills like interpreting, analyzing, critical thinking, and problem solving. These methods influence schooling because it makes the learning experience enjoyable, which leads to the a domino effect of higher engagement, stronger teacher-student relationships, and an increase in academic performance. 

Using a mix of these philosophies while taking what works best for your class into account can produce a superior education that influences children to enjoy their schooling experience and seek out learning.