Blog#2

In the previous class meeting I really liked the activity we did outside of the classroom. I liked how  I was linked to a classmate throughout the whole activity. That made me feel like I was not the only one going through hardships in my personal life and my career as a college student. However, this activity made me realize that I am proud of who I am and where I come from because no one can take that away from me. I also know that achieving things on my own will make me feel ten times better because I did it despite having the odds against me. Some of my classmates were in front of the line most of the time, my hats off to them because they’re parents worked really hard to give them a better life. I owe my life journey and achievements to my mother because without her I wouldn’t be where I am today. She has worked extra hard not only to keep in me school, but she has taught me that no matter how hard life can be, if you believe in yourself you can overcome anything and everything.

We also discussed in class the K-12 educational system and I became dumfounded by the statistics and how the school systems put minorities at a disadvantage starting their first day of kindergarten. A simple comment such as “I don’t know if you can do it, but give it a try anyway” given to a student by a teacher can have a big impact of how the student sees himself in school. This example was acted out perfectly by our classmates. Its crucial for a student to get motivated by his or her teachers because they will achieve bigger and better things. On the other hand if negative comments are being told to a student it can lead to a school dropout or become affiliated with a gang.

In this weeks readings, the one that caught my attention the most was chapter 8, Trends in the Education of underrepresented  racial minority students. In reading this chapter I can see how earning a degree has become even more competitive nowadays. A lot of students are attaining higher degrees than just a BA because competition for certain jobs is increasing. Obtaining a higher degree can give you an opportunity to be economically and socially stable. It is also stated in the text that the representation for African-American and Latinos in higher education declines as the degree level increases. In other words, as more white folks attain higher degrees the minority population and its numbers decrease because it becomes harder for them to obtain the same degree. Not being financially stable can get in the way for minorities to obtain a higher education. Because the workplace is getting more competitive more and more people are pursuing higher educations because they want to have a higher chance of getting the job they desire. And obviously white folks are likely to get the jobs that they desire because minorities can not always keep up in the competition.