People are Strange and When You're A Stranger

Faces look ugly when you're alone
I had several conversations today.  Things are just kind of odd. 

Okay, here's how it is.  I teach in America.  I work with young adults.  I work with people that say "this is mine's."  I work with people that do not comprehend Standard English.  I thought that education in America was taught in Standard English.  I think that's the problem. We have too many kids that do not understand Standard English.  They speak Spanglish and they speak BEV (Black English Vernacular).  They have not yet learned Standard English.

We do not assume that Spanglish or BEV is inferior in any way.  We assume that they are different.  However, all of our testing and all of our assessments are based in Standard English. 

I asked my classes today....How do you ask someone about their current location?  I got responses that said "Where you at?" and "Where are you?"  I asked....How would you say that someone is a good friend? I got "he's my homie."  and "he's my good friend" and "vato" and "homeboy."  I also got "my nig" but I just really hate that.

I can understand why there are achievement gaps.  I think if one looks at our most underachieving children then one may find that there is a lack of understanding of Standard English. 

Miss,  I wasted so much money buying this Coach Bag.  I say, "you don't like it?  You don't think you got good value for your money?"  They say, "I love the bag."  I have to explain that waste means that you did not get good value.  I have to understand that the same word in Spanish means "spent."  Miss, I spent so much money buying this Coach Bag.  I say WOW, you got good value for your dollar. 

Our children are NOT to blame.  Folks bigger and better than us should realize that we are not all on the same page.