This experience definitely shaped my teacher identity. Watching these 9th grade students struggle with simple things like reading and writing, strengthened my desire to be a teacher to help these students. Particularly being in a classroom where the teacher is struggling to get students to participate, made my desire to embrace Shor’s argument for Empowering Education that much stronger.
Shor defines empowering education as a critical-democratic pedagogy for self and social change. He encourages individual growth because “self and society create each other.” He encourages student participation by challenging unilateral teacher authority. This pedagogy encourages students to participate and basically run the class with the teacher’s guidance. It teaches the students to challenge what they are learning, and why they are learning it. While it can be met with resistance, a successful participatory class can renew a student’s curiosity in learning and make them more open to new ideas.
If I have learned anything from my experience, it is that I, as a future teacher, want to encourage students to participate, challenge standard thinking, and most of all renew a students interest in learning. Being in a classroom where, as I’ve previously said, most students have written off college as a non option, it made me realize that I want to instill that love of learning again. As Shor says in his article, “People are naturally curious. They are born learners. Education can either develop of stifle their inclination to ask why and learn.” If I can, as a teacher, do one thing it would be helping at least one student renew that natural curiosity. I realize I won’t be able to effect all of my students, especially as a high school teacher when some of them checked out mentally 2 or 3 years before, but if I can help one student every year realize their dreams, and encourage them to move on to the higher education they had previously thought impossible, I would feel successful.
I loved every minute of my VIPS tutoring, I’m glad I got to be placed into a high school classroom where I realized not every high school is as well organized and well off as mine. It was a good learning experience and definitely made me realize my decision to become a teacher was the right one for me.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Prompt 4- Scociocultural Challenges
Based on my history and sociocultural characteristics, I entered this classroom completely biased as to what high school should be like. I came from an upper middle class high school, where getting prepared for college was the main goal, and it’s scandalous if you didn’t continue on to a 4 year school, or at least community college. On the other hand at Providence West High School, college was a dream many kids don’t even think is an option for them. A lot of the students were in awe of me just for being a college student. It was shocking, and upsetting, to see that so many of the students had written off school already after getting it in their heads that college was an unattainable feat for them. I guess, coming from where I do, I just assumed pretty much everyone goes on to some sort of higher education after high school.
A challenge I definitely would face, being a teacher in this classroom, would be my lack of experience in diversity. I come from a predominately white area, whereas this classroom was predominately Hispanic and African American. I would as a teacher, and did as a tutor, struggle to connect with the students when it comes to culture and experiences. For example, I was helping a student, Tracy, figure out what to write her memoir on. So I started naming things that I would write mine on, a family vacation, a trip with a friend’s family, the trouble me and my friends got into when I was younger, and other things like that. Tracy looked at me like I was crazy. She told me she’s never been on a vacation, with her family or a friend’s family, and that she wasn’t allowed to go out with out a parent when she was younger. That definitely shows a huge difference in what I knew growing up, and what she knew growing up.
On the other hand an advantage I would have, is having grown up in a better neighborhood, and having gone to college. Hopefully, I could use that to inspire the kids to work hard and make them realize college is an option for them. I would want to use my history and experience to show them what they could have if they do well in school, if they learn the proper way to speak and write, and just focus. Many of these kids haven’t stopped trying because they are lazy, they’ve stopped trying because they think they don’t have options. If I could show them that they do, that they could amount to more then they expect, then my history and sociocultural characteristics have been put to good use.
A challenge I definitely would face, being a teacher in this classroom, would be my lack of experience in diversity. I come from a predominately white area, whereas this classroom was predominately Hispanic and African American. I would as a teacher, and did as a tutor, struggle to connect with the students when it comes to culture and experiences. For example, I was helping a student, Tracy, figure out what to write her memoir on. So I started naming things that I would write mine on, a family vacation, a trip with a friend’s family, the trouble me and my friends got into when I was younger, and other things like that. Tracy looked at me like I was crazy. She told me she’s never been on a vacation, with her family or a friend’s family, and that she wasn’t allowed to go out with out a parent when she was younger. That definitely shows a huge difference in what I knew growing up, and what she knew growing up.
On the other hand an advantage I would have, is having grown up in a better neighborhood, and having gone to college. Hopefully, I could use that to inspire the kids to work hard and make them realize college is an option for them. I would want to use my history and experience to show them what they could have if they do well in school, if they learn the proper way to speak and write, and just focus. Many of these kids haven’t stopped trying because they are lazy, they’ve stopped trying because they think they don’t have options. If I could show them that they do, that they could amount to more then they expect, then my history and sociocultural characteristics have been put to good use.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Prompt 5- Working with the Parents
If I was the teacher of this 9th grade classroom, I would encounter many challenges in dealing with the parents of my students. First and foremost is probably the challenge of race. Being in a dominantly Hispanic classroom, its hard enough dealing with the students, but throw in the parents and you are in for a show. A lot of the parents, most likely, have a limited knowledge of English. While this is probably a rude assumption to make, listening to the students accents when they speak English, it is probable that their parents’ main language is Spanish. This would make communication for someone like me, as I’ve previously stated I have no knowledge of the language, incredibly difficult. The only way I could imagine addressing this problem is using the student as a translator. I am not adept at languages, and for some reason have struggled particularly with Spanish, so learning would be a slow and painful process. I sincerely doubt if I’d ever know enough Spanish to communicate clearly with these parents.
Out side of the language issue, this question could easily relate to Lisa Delpit’s article The Silenced Dialogue. Being from the culture of power, the parents could resent me teaching their students, and not embracing more of a multicultural education. They might feel I’m not willing to admit, or even unaware, that I am from the culture of power. But I would be willing to acknowledge that power, and even teach their children explicitly the rules of power, like Delpit calls for. Especially being in an English class, I would teach them the proper ways to write and speak, so they aren’t looked down on by other society.
My favorite quote from the Delpit article is “My kids know how to be black- you all teach them how to be successful in a white man’s world.” I think this shows perfectly a way to relate to parents, black, Hispanic, any race. Parents want their children to learn the tools they need to survive in the “white man’s world,” or the culture of power. While a multicultural education, reading things written by people other then dead white guys and learning history other then the middle class white “norm,” is beneficial to classrooms, teaching students the rules of power is necessary for their success. To bridge the gap with parents, who may feel I know nothing being of a white middle class background, it is necessary to gain their support in teaching their children not only in a diverse way but in a way that could help them succeed when they enter the adult world.
Out side of the language issue, this question could easily relate to Lisa Delpit’s article The Silenced Dialogue. Being from the culture of power, the parents could resent me teaching their students, and not embracing more of a multicultural education. They might feel I’m not willing to admit, or even unaware, that I am from the culture of power. But I would be willing to acknowledge that power, and even teach their children explicitly the rules of power, like Delpit calls for. Especially being in an English class, I would teach them the proper ways to write and speak, so they aren’t looked down on by other society.
My favorite quote from the Delpit article is “My kids know how to be black- you all teach them how to be successful in a white man’s world.” I think this shows perfectly a way to relate to parents, black, Hispanic, any race. Parents want their children to learn the tools they need to survive in the “white man’s world,” or the culture of power. While a multicultural education, reading things written by people other then dead white guys and learning history other then the middle class white “norm,” is beneficial to classrooms, teaching students the rules of power is necessary for their success. To bridge the gap with parents, who may feel I know nothing being of a white middle class background, it is necessary to gain their support in teaching their children not only in a diverse way but in a way that could help them succeed when they enter the adult world.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Prompt 3- Embracing the Linguistic, Ethnic, and Sociocultural Characteristics of the Students
Providence West High School is a very diverse school. With the exception of one student, Mr. B. and I are the only full Caucasians in both of the class rooms I tutor in. Whereas at first I viewed this as a challenge, Mr. B. helped me learn to embrace it through his methods.
One of the dominant languages, even though this was an English class, was Spanish. The majority of the children in both classes, if not fluent, could understand and get by with the knowledge they had of the language. For someone like me that was a challenge, I took 4 years of French in high school and only know Spanish as far as Hola! Como esta? The students, however, would walk into class fully conversing in a language completely foreign to me, as well as Mr. B. He, instead of just banning Spanish from the classroom, learned to integrate it into their studies. The book they were reading all quarter was The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Written from the point of view of a little girl growing up in the Latino neighborhood of Chicago, Cisneros studded her vignettes with Spanish words, as well as Latino culture. Mr. B. used this as a chance to embrace the students’ knowledge of the language and culture, as well as embrace the general themes of growing up that are universal to everyone.
To me, this goes hand in hand with Dennis Carlson’s call for a multicultural education. While Carlson specifically addresses the gayness issue, and the teaching of that, his five principles can be applied when it comes to teaching anything other then the Anglo-American culture. I especially want to address the last two principles Carlson addresses; the need for multicultural education to be directed at helping young people build alliances and see the connection between different areas of their identities and culture, and that multicultural education must become a place where all people can heard and their “truths” are understood as from a certain time and a certain place. By reading Cisneros’ book, the students bonded over similar experiences of the pressures of growing up, but also in the experiences of that Latino identity, so many of them share, and the stereo types and pressures that go with it. They learned that there are writers from all different walks of life, not just those “old, dead, white guys” as one student put it.
One of the dominant languages, even though this was an English class, was Spanish. The majority of the children in both classes, if not fluent, could understand and get by with the knowledge they had of the language. For someone like me that was a challenge, I took 4 years of French in high school and only know Spanish as far as Hola! Como esta? The students, however, would walk into class fully conversing in a language completely foreign to me, as well as Mr. B. He, instead of just banning Spanish from the classroom, learned to integrate it into their studies. The book they were reading all quarter was The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Written from the point of view of a little girl growing up in the Latino neighborhood of Chicago, Cisneros studded her vignettes with Spanish words, as well as Latino culture. Mr. B. used this as a chance to embrace the students’ knowledge of the language and culture, as well as embrace the general themes of growing up that are universal to everyone.
To me, this goes hand in hand with Dennis Carlson’s call for a multicultural education. While Carlson specifically addresses the gayness issue, and the teaching of that, his five principles can be applied when it comes to teaching anything other then the Anglo-American culture. I especially want to address the last two principles Carlson addresses; the need for multicultural education to be directed at helping young people build alliances and see the connection between different areas of their identities and culture, and that multicultural education must become a place where all people can heard and their “truths” are understood as from a certain time and a certain place. By reading Cisneros’ book, the students bonded over similar experiences of the pressures of growing up, but also in the experiences of that Latino identity, so many of them share, and the stereo types and pressures that go with it. They learned that there are writers from all different walks of life, not just those “old, dead, white guys” as one student put it.
Prompt 1- First Impressions
Driving to my school was an experience for me in itself. I had to drive through not the nicest of neighborhoods to get there, and the first time I went I got lost. Providence West High School* it tucked back off of the main road, behind a run-down, out of business, Stop-and-Shop. The high school itself is nice; a newer building with a nice façade. The inside is what you can expect out of any high school, clean hallways with posters advertising events, kids swarming the halls when the bell rings, and I definitely mean swarming. The school seems a little over crowded, or at least over crowded compared to my high school in rural New Jersey. Entering the classroom was a little strange for me. My teacher Mr. B.*, a nice man in about his 50’s stood at the head of the class in front of a table covered with papers; the students sat at tables made for 2 maybe 3 at most but they crowded 5 or 6 to a table, some with their back to the teacher. I found this very strange; hard to believe it’s possible to learn when you’re not even looking at the board.
The students themselves acted disorderly. They talked, disregarded Mr. B.’s instructions, and were down right disrespectful to him. The language casually thrown around the classroom was enough to get suspended from my high school. I’m sure this isn’t what the administrators of the school itself value, but its clear that the children value looks and status within the school more then grades. Kids who participate in class are made fun of, looked at like they’re crazy, especially if they get the question right; the ones who are disrespectful, loud, talkative, and use vulgar language are looked up to by the others, they are the “cool” kids.
On the other hand I know what Mr. B. values. He values teaching these children to read well, and actively. Teaching them to write coherently and descriptively, and most of all, even though they are only freshman, Mr. B. values helping these children know that college is an option for them, and he will do everything he can to make sure it becomes a reality.
*names have been changed
The students themselves acted disorderly. They talked, disregarded Mr. B.’s instructions, and were down right disrespectful to him. The language casually thrown around the classroom was enough to get suspended from my high school. I’m sure this isn’t what the administrators of the school itself value, but its clear that the children value looks and status within the school more then grades. Kids who participate in class are made fun of, looked at like they’re crazy, especially if they get the question right; the ones who are disrespectful, loud, talkative, and use vulgar language are looked up to by the others, they are the “cool” kids.
On the other hand I know what Mr. B. values. He values teaching these children to read well, and actively. Teaching them to write coherently and descriptively, and most of all, even though they are only freshman, Mr. B. values helping these children know that college is an option for them, and he will do everything he can to make sure it becomes a reality.
*names have been changed
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