I think if I had picked up this book at any other time in my life, I’d find it to be an enjoyable and encouraging read. I’d most likely discuss a few salient points from my readings with friends, recommend it to a few people, set it on my bookshelf, and leave it at that. But now I’m an urban educator, and a large part of my life is spent working with students who live in a culture of poverty. I can’t help but bring these perspectives to my reading and understanding of the book. The result is that despite the many encouraging aspects of this book, it always seems to leave me feeling overwhelmingly discouraged. Now, I can’t just set this book on my shelf; now, it almost haunts me.
The book is clearly targeted towards white, middle-to-upper class females. The targeted demographics in the study make this clear: “There are more private than public schools and, given the demographic realities of independent schools, the affluent and white are overrepresented; approximately 15 percent of the interview sample are non-white” (xvi). Each chapter seems to be filled with encouraging data about a new generation of females and the factors that shape them, only to follow with a short disclaimer that the findings do not apply to minorities or to the poor, whether explicitly stated or not. For instance, chapter two is entirely about the positive role of the father in shaping the alpha girl. It goes unsaid that many (most?) of our own female students grow up without a father in their household. Chapter three discusses the importance of adolescence, as students go through a period of exploration which helps to develop their personalities, only to state that, “the process of becoming an adult and the qualities of autonomy…don’t play themselves out…in our culture in the milieu of poor urban children, many of whom are forced into adult roles at a younger age than their more affluent peers and who may not see themselves as having the luxury to explore their options and find themselves” (73).
I’m only on chapter four, so my feelings may change as I continue to read. But for now, why I am viewing this book from such a negative angle? Is anyone else having this experience? I just seem to spend most of the time thinking… okay, this is great, but how will my students beat the odds?
Lydia
Lydia,
ReplyDeleteI agree that the literature we read for class can feel very discouraging. It feels even more overwhelming. I often set down an article or book and think how can I do it all? How can teachers be responsible to be all these roles? Will I get better at this so I can actually fufill everything I want to do? Or is that the driving force of urban education? Will we ever be able to be those teachers that have the answers and the trust of students to make big impacts?
Beating the odds is another interesting topic. I look at my third grade girls and wonder what they will be when they grow up. I hope for happiness and security. I wonder if they will go to college or if they will have jobs that they find to be rewarding. Will they reach their goals? Then I wonder about the other things... will anyone of them be teenage moms? Will they finsih high school? Will they be subject to abuse? These fears keep me motivated to continue to read. How can I inspire?
I agree with you Lydia about reading this book with almost a cynical or negative view. While I do recognize the power in the author's concept of the "new" alpha girl, I am put off a little by the lack of diversity within these alpha girls. While the author was honest enough in his opening about where he got his demographic, my problem is that he chose to write this book leaving so many females out. Is there only one type of alpha girl? Do alpha girls develop without meeting the criteria outlined by the author? If they do, then does that defeat the entire premise of the author's book?
ReplyDeleteIn an attempt to put a somewhat positive spin on what can otherwise be a very depressing realization as discussed above, I think we can frame the discussion in the context of the idea that some progress is better than no progress. Speaking objectively, poor, black women have long been the most subjugated and repressed members of American society. Considering the majority of our students fall into this category, it is no surprise that many of them hold several strikes before they even graduate high school and step up to plate. However, just as women's suffrage started as a movement primarily in the white, upper class women's community and later had dramatic effects at equalizing opportunity for black women, I hold out hope that the same effects will one day trickle down to affecting our students in as dramatic a way.
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