Group Differences: Rural Populations- Appalachian Culture Article

Eva Thaller wrote Appalachian Culture and Schooling for people to get a better understanding of the conditions of the Appalachian culture and reasons as to why the cycle of poverty and lack of education continues. Thaller states that Caudill said the six main reasons are sense of place, clannishness, childlike trust in others, ignorance of the nature of the land itself, deeply rooted mistrust of government, and a disregard of education (p. 254-255). Thaller also says that sense of place, right-brain orientation of Appalachian culture, Appalachian dialect, cultural stereotyping, and multicultural education are reasons that Appalachian children do not break the cycle (p.255-258). Thaller does a good job of not really choosing a side, and more just explains the reasons why.

I personally somewhat disagreed with the idea that the “…key to understanding Appalachian culture was to understand the pull inside all people between right brain hemisphere and left brain hemisphere processes.” (p. 256). I just am not sure that is the “key” to understanding the culture. I am sure that it is important however, I feel the key to understanding the Appalachian culture, or any culture, is to understand in general what is important to them as a culture.

            In particular the quote “… they have educated students only for the outside world and not for building prosperity at home.” (p. 247), really stood out to me. I personally had never considered that. People were so focused on “fixing” them and encouraging them to leave the Appalachians in order to make a better life for themselves instead of educating the Appalachian people on how to create a better life for themselves without going anywhere. After reading that quote my mind went immediately to common core standards and how they would affect the Appalachian culture. Would the Appalachian students be left in even worse conditions because they would be taught even more so for the general outside world, or will common core help them to get an equal education as the rest of the country?