Freire (2005) testifies that as a teacher, I must dare to
fight for intellectual justice, he states that “the teaching task
also requires the capacity to fight for freedom, without which
the teaching task becomes meaningless”
I really enjoyed the class discussion and loved the sense of empowerment I felt that together we could have to overcome educational injustices. I fell that it is going to take educators coming together and working hard to overcome these problems. Fortunately, I feel that we are on our way! The Ed.S program experience has caused me to become a more critical thinker about my teaching, not only placing emphasis on my students’ identities, but also developing my identity as a teacher. Freire (2005) stated that identity is formed through, “the dynamic relationship between what we inherit and what we acquire” (p.124). These courses have provoked me to reflect about how our true identity is always being modified and personalized by our daily interactions with others and the world. When humans are young, they are conditioned into believing and thinking a certain way. We are raised by others that impose their beliefs about family, customs, and traditions into our learning and understanding. However, as one begins to be exposed to community and school, we begin to learn about others’ views and we are exposed to new ways of thinking. I believe that we, as teachers, need to have open minds and let ourselves be exposed to these new ideas, but at the same time figure out how this new knowledge fits into our own intrinsic identity. Our knowledge is consistently changing, it is in the way that we acquire and apply this new knowledge into our lives as to how our identity is constructed. I truly believe that this program has changed my teaching identity and allowed me to take on a more critical view of teaching to benefit all children. I hope that my new teaching identity will have a positive effect on my students and allow them to share and help shape their own identities along the way.
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I really liked the section entitled “Find Satisfaction in the Everyday”. Wow, what an awesome philosophy for life and our everyday job of teaching. In the past, I have talked with teachers that truly seem to ‘hate’ their job. I have overheard teachers complain, raise their voice, talk down to their students, and/or seem to have a very negative attitude towards their students’ learning capabilities. I feel that it is those types of personalities that give teachers a bad rap. I can say with 100% certainty that I LOVE my job. I try hard to live up to this motto. I feel that my job as a teacher is unlike others in the corporate world because everyday is a new and exciting day filled with new learning and knowledge that I can share and experience with my students. I have read a couple of books on John Dewey and agree with his teaching beliefs in that schools should place more emphasis on teaching in a hands-on and real life learning through experiences. I try hard to teach my students for learning and understanding to be had each and everyday. I feel that I am constantly learning from my students and my experience in the classroom. Each day not only brings about new knowledge for my students but also for myself. I agree with Mauro Bautistas comment, “I am proud to affect the lives of so many students and their parents. I hope that, one day, they too will go away to college and come back to help those they left behind” (p. 504). I feel that teaching is one of the most rewarding professions in the world and I feel blessed to wake up everyday and go to a job that I thoroughly love and enjoy.
As a former HeadStart (pre-kindergarten) teacher, I truly feel that there is a large need for quality education for young children. I feel that this is a critical area of education that is too often overlooked. I am thrilled that Obama’s “Zero to Five” eduction plan places key emphasis on early care and education for infants, which I feel is essential for children to be ready to enter kindergarten. President Obama has proposed a plan “Zero to Five” that will be used to support parents and their young children. Obama’s plan is to provide states with early learning college grants which will allow states to have the money to provide quality early childcare for young children. Under this plan, Obama is giving the means to help all states to move toward a voluntary and universal preschool. Obama also plans to quadruple Early Head Start, increase Head Start funding, and improve quality for both. Obama’s plan will also provide affordable and high-quality child care to ease the burden on working families. I agree with Obama’s theory that the earlier children begin formal education, the better chance they have to compete and succeed in this nation.
http://www.newamerica.net/blog/early-ed-watch/2008/primary-watch-barack-obamas-early-education-agenda-3239
I really enjoyed the lecture on language from last Thursday. Prior to this class and discussion, I would have definitely thought of Ebonics as a dialect derived from the English language. However, I have learned that Ebonics or Black English has its roots in the language of West Africa. I was also unaware of the different rules, just like in English, that apply to Black English. I feel that the lecture and new knowledge allowed me to make sense and understand some of my students language used in school. I now know that when my students use the ‘duh’ sound to replace the ‘th’ sound in words like this and that, use the ‘f’ sound in the middle of the words to represent the ‘th’ sound in words like bathroom and birthday, and use the ‘f’ sound at the end of words to represent the ‘th’ sound in words like mouth and with that this is a rule in Black English and the students are actually speaking well and following the rules of their own language. I enjoyed the activity when we tried to use the rules of English to pronounce the word ‘tsun’. When I tried to pronounce this word I said ‘sun’ and I made the‘t’ silent. I didn’t even think about the fact that we know how these two letters should sound when we use them together in a word such as ‘nuts’. This activity represented that rules are important to all language and that we are taught to use the rules to our language.
So, after class I believe that I now have a richer understanding of Black English and why some students talk using the rules of Black English. Although I now have this understanding, I believe that teaching all students the rules of Standard English should still be a priority of public education. Standard English is the language that students need to be able to use fluently in order to read and fully understand assessment such as the CRCT and other state mandated tests. Standard English is also the language used when reading texts books, newspapers, and educational journals. Standard English is the language that dominates the workforce of America and it is the language that many need to use in order to be successful within the workforce. I am not implying that I feel that students should not use and feel comfortable speaking in their own language; however, I believe that in order to be successful in the United States one must learn the rules of Standard English and be able to speak it fluently.
As I reflect over the class readings and discussions I am reminded of the question that Rhina asked, “What is intelligence? How would I define it? How can it be measured? As I begin to ponder on the definition of intelligence I begin to feel that intelligence is too extensive which makes it impossible to measure from all realms. Individuals are intelligent in a lot of areas and one test cannot clearly measure this vast array of knowledge. I also think that intelligence is constantly changing over time and always evolving. I feel that in schools to much emphasis is put onto the CRCT and other state mandated tests that are given to rate student knowledge/intelligence and performance. How can this one test be an indicator of all the knowledge that a student possesses?
I believe that when discussing how to measure student knowledge/intelligence, more authentic assessments need to be looked at to see the big picture of a students educational gains from year to year. More tests should be given that allow more creativity in what is being taught and depict all areas of growth that the child is making in their learning process. These types of assessment would promote critical thinking and be more personalized for the students. Instead, the state and nation look and measure learning through inauthentic assessments, using the CRCT to evaluate the skills that children have for answering a range of multiply choice questions that are to depict everything they should have learned throughout the school year. How can one test be used to evaluate learning that has taking place over months and months? Who wants their child to be graded exclusively on information that they can spit out that may be embedded in through memorization or they have learned through repetition? Does this test show an accurate picture of the child’s understanding of his/her learning, his or her intelligence? I believe that standardized tests do not depict a true judgment of a child’s intelligence. I feel that our county and state put too much emphasis on this one test score to judge school achievement and teachings. As a teacher, I do not feel that a child’s intelligence can or should be solely based on one score from a standardized test / IQ test. A lot of students are not great test takers and depending on the child’s background or economic levels there are a lot of factors to consider when comparing test scores throughout the county and state. I feel that a teacher should monitor their teaching effectiveness through observation and other concise classroom assessments. The focus is so grand on standardized tests, like the CRCT, as if the other daily schoolwork, background knowledge and subjects are not nearly as important. These students, especially in elementary school, are still developing and learning and pulling from their own experiences to understand their learning. I think that educators should encourage children all year long to do well and make sure that understanding is taking place in their learning process. The children’s knowledge is developing daily and as teachers we should focus on this being the children “educational journey” for his life, not just for the results on one test.
I feel that all too often, standardized tests are used by educators and policy makers to measure individual students’ intelligence. I believe that more authentic assessments need to be look at to see the big picture of students’ knowledge and ongoing authentic assessment should focus on what is being taught and the learning growth that the child is making. Authentic testing should allow for an assessment that promotes critical thinking and be more personalized for the individual student.
Wow! I found this article to be an ‘eye’ opener. I have heard of Ruby Payne and my last school actually gave each staff member her book, A Framework of Understanding Poverty. We also had staff development devoted to Ruby Payne’s advise on teaching children from lower socioeconomic status. I have not thoroughly read A Framework for Understanding Poverty but it does sit on my school bookshelf. I had no idea that her studies and research had never been verified. I always thought that Ruby Payne must have grown up in ‘poverty’ conditions herself and thus using her own expereince as passion for written these books.
I do agree with the article that, as educators, we are in need of ways to assist lower socioeconmic students in order to provide them teaching that will allow for educational achievement. I believe that engaging the students in meaningful learning and making our teaching connect with students personal background are ways that all teachers can help to bridge this gap. I agree with the author of this article when stating, “We need to understand that the poor themselves are not the problem; the problem is the fact that the poor do not have realistic opportunities to escape from poverty.” As teachers we have the ability to begin to make a difference and reshape society. I think that we must set high expectations for all of our students and be committed to our teaching and students learning. Throuhout these courses I have really began to rethink my beliefs and I am learning to begin to use a critical eye to examine literature, not only literature I read with my students, but also literature I read to further and influence my own educational philosophy.
When thinking about different topics and readings in class that perturbed me an article from this summer came to mind, “Preparing Teachers for Culturally Diverse Schools: Research And The Overwhelming Presence Of Whiteness.” This article focused on the disadvantages that white teachers bestow onto minority students because of their attitudes and lack of knowledge of multicultural backgrounds and lack of education on teaching multicultural students. Here are a couple of the quotes from the article that really annoyed me.
“Students (preserive teachers) of color tend to bring richer experiences and perspectives to multicultural teaching than do most White students (preservice teachers), who dominate numerically.” (p. 94)
Okay – how can anyone truly know this??? The article states that several studies documented this pattern in preservice teachers.
“As a whole, however, they (white teachers) bring very little cross-cultural background, knowledge, and experience”. (p.95)
So does this mean that non-white teachers bring and share cross-cultural background knowledge and experiences of all multicultural students or just students from their own culture?
I do believe that some of the information in the article was interesting and I agree that multicultural teaching is an area of focus that ALL preservice teachers need to be better educated in. However, overall I felt that this article made the assumption that basically only “certain” teachers should be selected and good enough to teach diverse students and insure success for these students within urban schools.
I enjoyed the readings for this week. One article that stood out to me and I felt that I connected with was Beyond Pink and Blue. This article focused on the need to teach students all about the cycle of oppression that creates and reinforces stereotypes. In the article students are taught about stereotypes through the use of literature in hopes to create an anti-bias/anti- racist school environment. The teacher in the article used literature to tackle stereotypes about gender and families and to educate the students in order to view stereotypes in stories, television shows, and advertisements with a very critical eye. Growing up I was a cheerleader. In college we had a coed team where each girl was paired with a boy partner to do stunts and cheer. Often times you would hear other boys and girls making fun of the boys on the squad because they cheered; however, in my opinion, these guys were true athletes. Not only did these guys support their team, but were also able to lift the girls up over their heads and to do back flips etc… and these actions took both skill and strength. I see these gender based stereotypes being reinforced in my kindergarten class. I get so frustrated in my kindergarten class when boys refuse to use pink crayons, and when they do, they are called out by other students that tell then that they’re a girl because pink is a girl’s color. On the flip side of that, why aren’t the girls made fun of for coloring in blue?? I often try to teach my students that pink is a color just like yellow, green and red and that no gender or individual is represented by specific color – colors are just that, colors. I have also seen the need to introduce and teach my students about the untruths in family stereotypes. For the past couple of years I have read the story, “And Tango Makes Three”. This children’s book draws on the real-story of Roy and Silo, two penguins at the Central Park Zoo in New York. The story is about two male penguins that hatch a baby penguin together. I have used this story as a good introduction into discussing different family structures. Unfortunately, this book has caused some parents to get upset and in Loundoun County, Virginia parents protested and got the book pulled from the school library shelves. Parents complained that the book had a gay agenda and called for its removal. A spokesman for the Luondoun schools stated that some parents felt that “the books content might be developmentally inappropriate for some students” (Fox News.com). I disagree with the statement, we must teach our students about reality and I believe stereotypes are sending messages to students that there is only one right way and if a child doesn’t fall into the norm of gender roles and family structures than there is something wrong with them. I believe that, as teachers, it is our job to educate our students about stereotypes and how to unlearn them.
I feel that behavior management is not only managed with a behavior chart but also with the classroom environment and student/teacher and student/student relationships. This way of thinking fits with the sections from Oakes and Lipton: “Open” Classrooms,…if schools treated students humanely and respectfully, these qualities would prevail in classrooms” (pg. 265) and “Making Classrooms Communities” (pg. 270). For most children the ideal home doesn’t exist so why not create a ‘safe haven’ for them in the classroom. As a teacher, I have always tried to create a classroom environment that is inviting to all students. My goal is to create a place where the students feel at ease, in order to have a better opportunity to produce willing, active learners. As others stated in class, I also have resources in my classroom for my students that may be in need of assistance. I currently have a drawer with lots of disposable hair combs, hair bands, toothbrushes, clothes, socks, underwear, lotion and lip Vaseline. Other strategies that I have found that work well in my classroom and I feel help enable my students to be engaged and show less behavior problems are:
- Using a low, calm voice at all times when teaching or disciplining my students
- Seating arrangements at tables. The tables are arranged for students to sit with four or five other students. To create an arrangement that encourages discussion and classroom community.
- Having class meetings and discussions when issues do arise.
- Creating a low traffic area for the student’s cubbies (a place for student’s materials and belongings).
- Post class rules and expected behaviors (the children are well aware of my expectations for them)
- Creating classroom jobs that will teach responsibility
The class discussion about Freire’s quote of how our identity is formed through, “the dynamic relationship between what we inherit and what we acquire” really got me thinking (p.124). This quote caused me to reflect about how our true identity is always being modified and personalized by our daily interactions with others and the world. When humans are young, they are conditioned into believing and thinking a certain way. We are raised by others that impose their beliefs about family, customs, and traditions into our learning and understanding. However, as one begins to be exposed to community and school, we begin to learn about others’ views and we are exposed to new ways of thinking. I believe that we need to have an open mind and let ourselves be exposed to these new ideas, but at the same time figure out how this new knowledge fits into our own intrinsic identity. Our knowledge is consistently changing, it is in the way that we acquire and apply this new knowledge into our lives as to how our identity is constructed. I enjoyed the discussion from Daina when she tied this way of thinking and related it to the Ed.S. program. I too believe that this program has changed my teaching identity and allowed me to take on a more critical view of teaching to benefit all children. I hope that my new teaching identity will have a positive effect on my students and allow them to share and help shape their own identities along the way.
