Blog # 4

In last class, Julian started the class with nice activity which he called it reacting adversity. We divided to three groups, and each group had a different situations. We were supposed to discuss and write the best solutions for our given difficult situations. That was a nice activity to see how people had different and same strategy to solve the problem, and I learned very good ideas that I have never thought about it before. For example, Scott mentioned about getting help from professional and others which sometimes I did not do that or forgot to ask for help from others. Our group situation was that if we work hard and don’t accomplish on our project, how would we react to it. When I heard different ideas and strategies, it opened my mind to be able to look at the problem differently and react to the problem differently. Thus, I like the activity because I learned from my classmates to look at a same hypothetical situation differently. After that the class was divided into two groups for pros and cons about affirmative action. I like the idea of debating, and I think Jaimie assigned us in two groups randomly, but our opponent group was more prepared, and they argued better than us because Scott gave us a lot of facts and statistics which made a powerful argument. I think for next debate it is better to divide groups evenly because the other group had more students who were good at arguing and presenting their arguments better than my group.  Although the idea of debating was learning from each other, but if we had divided into even groups, we would had more exciting debate.

Hurtado and Torres argue that how Latinos or Hispanics students suffered from being minority in the higher education in U.S. Both writers claim that how implicit and explicit stereotype can have impact in Latinos education. For both writers, it is important to know that how Latinos students perceive the climate of racial /ethnic diversity and their knowledge about the environment of institution in their environment. However Hurtado argues about the demographic, achievement, and stereotype of Latinos students, but Torres argues about how Hispanic culture affect the Latinos students. For example, Torres, discusses about how it is important in Latinos culture to please their parents and going to college is the most pleasant thing that a student can do for his or her parents. Torres, also argues about cultural values in Hispanic culture by saying that, “my house is your house” which is a common expression in Latinos culture. It means openness to friends and family and the importance of helping one another. Therefore, by pleasing a parent, Latinos helping one another. Torres also argues about the importance of language. Those students who are not fluent in their native language, they want to learn the language and improve it because they feel more cohesive. Although helping one another or pleasing parents are very important in Latinos culture, but in reality only 9% of Latinos students complete four years college, argues Hurtado. Two-thirds of Latinos population is located in California, Texas, and New York states. These large population of Latinos had significant changes in admission and student support policies Latinos education in those three states, but still drop rate is high and completing four years college rate is very low. Furthermore, Latinos students have a long and challenging journey to change these stereotype and reduce the impact of discrimination against them in higher education.

While I was reading Chang and Kiang article, the discrimination against one talented student surprised me. Despite stellar academic achievement, Yat Au was rejected for undergraduate admission at the University of California, Berkeley in 1987.  Not  only I was surprised, but also I felt sad for that student. How come a stellar student with a great achievement can be rejected? I don’t need to use my imagination and put my feet into his shoes; I already know how painful and sad it is.