This experience has changed the way I view both myself as a teacher and teaching in general. When I signed up to take FNED my expectations were different than what it ended up being. I just assumed that because the class was called foundations of education that we would be learning like basic teaching methods and so on. What I found it to be was a completely different experience than the idea I had going into it. I was very excited when I learned that we were going to be placed in schools to observe and help out a classroom. My experience led me to being a reading buddy at and elementary school in Providence. I was nervous about what to expect and even more nervous about if I could actually help these kids. While the environment in both the kindergarten and first grade classrooms I tutored in was somewhat chaotic, I enjoyed playing the different reading games with the kids in my group. This was definitely and eye-opening experience when I reflected and looked back comparing what I remember my elementary school days to be like and what these children were currently experiencing.
The other day after my tutoring in Providence I went to Henry Barnard school to do a snowflake activity with a first grade classroom there. I was amazed at how well behaved and attentive they were. For the rest of the day I was reflecting on my experience at both schools and amazed at how it was like two different worlds. I am sure at the Henry Barnard school there is hardly ever a teacher that walk out on a class mid-year and probably quite a few teachers aspiring to work there. One day in my kindergarten class at the Providence elementary school there were about 6 or 7 kids from another kindergarten class sent into stay with my class because they could not find a substitute to cover it. One of the little girls was placed into my reading group and after she sat down she said "My teacher is gone". I tried to reassure her that her teacher was probably just sick and would be back later in the week. She then went on to correct me by saying "No she's not coming back she said she couldn't deal with these people anymore and she left". I was a little taken aback and unsure of how to respond to this little girl whose teacher had just abandon her and her classmates. The little girl was not that upset about the situation, but the fact that that teacher left sends a message to all of those little kids that they are not good enough to stay around for.
This particular experience reminded of Jonathon Kozol's speech. At one point he was talking about how many of these inner city schools will go through several teachers a year because the teachers aren't prepared or able to deal with the challenges. Not that I didn't believe Mr. Kozol because he was very good at presenting his case, but at that moment when that little girl told me her teacher left and wasn't coming back it became a reality for me. It was like I had actually in some way had experienced the exact situation that Mr. Kozol was working toward solving was real in my world now. I cannot really imagine being a teacher who walks out on her students. After that day I made a promise to myself that when I am a teacher I wouldn't give up on my students and try to the best of my ability to impact their lives in a positive way.
I would definitely say that this experience has helped to define my teacher identity. I'm not sure before I took this course that I had a teacher identity. Taking this class and volunteering in Providence schools has helped me to realize what kind of teacher I need to be in order to actually make a difference and improve the lives of my students. There are too many elements of that to name but they are securely placed in my mind and I plan to carry them with me along the path of my teaching experience.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Importance of Family
The culturally competent teacher involves and works with families and community resources, understanding the differences in families, the important influence of family participation in students' learning, and the benefit of collaborating with the wider school community.
The family situation that a student comes from definitely has an effect on their learning experience. Lisa Delpit is a theorist who wrote the article Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children. In this article she discusses the significance of power and background pertaining to education. In one section of the article she addresses the statement made by most teachers - I want the same thing for everyone else's children as I want for mine. She says that most parents of students from culturally diverse or poverty backgrounds want something more than just the same as everyone else's "They want to ensure that the school provides their children with discourse patterns, interactional styles, and spoken and written language codes that will allow them success in the larger society."(pg. 6) Sometimes these parents feel that their children are not learning as well as students who come from a liberal middle-class family because most of the instruction is based in that mind-set.
Some of the challenges that I might face concerning the parents of my student would probably be issues of being able to relate directly to them, or having the parents feel that their children are not being taught in a way that they can comprehend fully and understand the material. The parents may feel that the manner in which the material is being presented is confusing and unfamiliar to their child. Another problem I may encounter is also the fact that I may not be able to relate to the parents of my students because I myself am not a parent and may not share the same concerns. They may feel that maybe the teacher is only coming across to students of a similar background through the "codes" of the liberal middle-class. One way to address these concerns of the parents is to show them the efforts you are making to include their children and incorporate different cultures and backgrounds. I think as teacher you should let the parents know that you are culturally competent and aware that their children may be coming from a different background and have different needs. I think another way to address such a challenge would be to hold a meeting with the parents and ask their opinion on how they think their children learn best, or what techniques they use to help their children understand. Knowing how a parent teaches their child can greatly help a teacher to better communicate with and understand that student better. I think talking with concerned parents could offer a teacher several great tools to use and apply in her classroom to better reach the students. I think that asking the parents for suggestions and information it relays the fact that you respect and value their opinion. It lets them know that you are not just a teacher who is there to teach their children the ways of a liberal middle-class system and perpetuate the status quo. A contribution from a parent could be a wonderful thing for a classroom as far as incorporating the culture of that parent and their child. Ultimately learning about other people's cultures will help students to embrace and recognize that everyone is different in their own way. I also think that encouraging parents to get involved with their child's education will most likely have a positive effect on the student's motivation and desire to succeed. Parent involvement and concern for their child's education can make succeeding in school more valuable in the child's mind.
Although there will ultimately be differences between the parents of my students and myself, we share the same goal. We both want to provide the best possible education for the children. I think that that goal will only be easier to accomplish with the collaboration of parents.
The family situation that a student comes from definitely has an effect on their learning experience. Lisa Delpit is a theorist who wrote the article Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children. In this article she discusses the significance of power and background pertaining to education. In one section of the article she addresses the statement made by most teachers - I want the same thing for everyone else's children as I want for mine. She says that most parents of students from culturally diverse or poverty backgrounds want something more than just the same as everyone else's "They want to ensure that the school provides their children with discourse patterns, interactional styles, and spoken and written language codes that will allow them success in the larger society."(pg. 6) Sometimes these parents feel that their children are not learning as well as students who come from a liberal middle-class family because most of the instruction is based in that mind-set.
Some of the challenges that I might face concerning the parents of my student would probably be issues of being able to relate directly to them, or having the parents feel that their children are not being taught in a way that they can comprehend fully and understand the material. The parents may feel that the manner in which the material is being presented is confusing and unfamiliar to their child. Another problem I may encounter is also the fact that I may not be able to relate to the parents of my students because I myself am not a parent and may not share the same concerns. They may feel that maybe the teacher is only coming across to students of a similar background through the "codes" of the liberal middle-class. One way to address these concerns of the parents is to show them the efforts you are making to include their children and incorporate different cultures and backgrounds. I think as teacher you should let the parents know that you are culturally competent and aware that their children may be coming from a different background and have different needs. I think another way to address such a challenge would be to hold a meeting with the parents and ask their opinion on how they think their children learn best, or what techniques they use to help their children understand. Knowing how a parent teaches their child can greatly help a teacher to better communicate with and understand that student better. I think talking with concerned parents could offer a teacher several great tools to use and apply in her classroom to better reach the students. I think that asking the parents for suggestions and information it relays the fact that you respect and value their opinion. It lets them know that you are not just a teacher who is there to teach their children the ways of a liberal middle-class system and perpetuate the status quo. A contribution from a parent could be a wonderful thing for a classroom as far as incorporating the culture of that parent and their child. Ultimately learning about other people's cultures will help students to embrace and recognize that everyone is different in their own way. I also think that encouraging parents to get involved with their child's education will most likely have a positive effect on the student's motivation and desire to succeed. Parent involvement and concern for their child's education can make succeeding in school more valuable in the child's mind.
Although there will ultimately be differences between the parents of my students and myself, we share the same goal. We both want to provide the best possible education for the children. I think that that goal will only be easier to accomplish with the collaboration of parents.
A classroom without bias? Impossible.
The Culturally competent teacher is aware of the diverse cultural groups represented in his/her classroom, investigates the sociocultural factors that influences student learning, and is able to integrate this knowledge into his/her teaching.
Essentially everyone is different. Factors such as environment, background, education, and culture affect how a person views the world and how the world views a person. It is an undeniable fact that every person has a bias toward elements that they find in common with themselves. The goal as a culturally competent teacher is to acknowledge that these biases exist even within them self. If a teacher is aware of these bias' she or he can work to incorporate everyone despite their background and to work against ones that may deter a student from being successful.
My personal history and the personal history of the students in the school that I volunteer in probably have very little in common. I grew up in a suburban area not too far from the city and went to an elementary school that consisted of mostly of children from a middle class background. My middle school and high schools were pretty diverse and did not necessarily have the best of everything. I found however that having the best books or computers does not necessarily mean you get a better education. Throughout my schooling I had teacher who were wonderful and helped me to get the best education I could. The high school I attended was the most diverse high school in my town. I think I learned a lot by attending a school that was truly diverse and did not just claim to be. That would be one commonality between the students and I that we both have attended and are familiar with a diverse school environment. My cultural background consists of Irish, Swedish, and French-Canadian however there is no specific culture that is particularly emphasized by my family. I may not be able to relate to a student whose live is greatly influenced by a certain culture, but I can understand and look into that culture and try to understand that student. If I were a teacher at this elementary school one thing I would have in common with the students is my dedication to help them learn would be equal to their drive to want to learn.
Obviously a challenge that I would face walking in to a classroom or school like the one I tutor in would be finding that level where I could easily relate to students. That does not mean that I could not attempt to look into and understand a student’s culture and what is valued in that culture and how it might affect their schooling and find a way to relate to them, but it would not be an immediate connection. Ira Shor is a theorist who writes about how education is a political process and how teachers should encourage their students to think critically and challenge the norm. Ira Shor says "The contents included and excluded in curriculum are political choices while the unique outcomes of education are not neutral either. But even though the subject matter and the learning process are political choices and experiences, Apple also observed that there was no simple socialization of students into the existing order and no automatic reproduction of society through the classroom."(pg.12) Using the knowledge that education is a political process a teacher can help their students to realize this and to fight against and challenge these politics to better their education. Although many of the time these children fall into the unfortunate cycle that keep them at poverty level, there is always a chance and the hope that a great education will help to break the mold and succeed.
I cannot say that I have encountered misconceptions usually associated with certain ethnic groups. I feel that because the classrooms I was in consisted of 5 and 6 year old children that there was not much awareness of social categories and behaviors assumed to be associated with those groups. I did however notice that the attitude and behavioral problems that are usually assigned to children that come from minority and poverty backgrounds did to some extent exist within the classrooms. I feel however that this is both a cultural and a survival technique. I almost feel that the defensive attitude that I witnessed is a direct result of the difficult environment they live in. Overall, it is important for a teacher to understand his or her students as far as where they come from, what challenges they face, and how important school is to them. A teacher should incorporate the knowledge he or she has about their students backgrounds to greater improve their students understanding and success.
Essentially everyone is different. Factors such as environment, background, education, and culture affect how a person views the world and how the world views a person. It is an undeniable fact that every person has a bias toward elements that they find in common with themselves. The goal as a culturally competent teacher is to acknowledge that these biases exist even within them self. If a teacher is aware of these bias' she or he can work to incorporate everyone despite their background and to work against ones that may deter a student from being successful.
My personal history and the personal history of the students in the school that I volunteer in probably have very little in common. I grew up in a suburban area not too far from the city and went to an elementary school that consisted of mostly of children from a middle class background. My middle school and high schools were pretty diverse and did not necessarily have the best of everything. I found however that having the best books or computers does not necessarily mean you get a better education. Throughout my schooling I had teacher who were wonderful and helped me to get the best education I could. The high school I attended was the most diverse high school in my town. I think I learned a lot by attending a school that was truly diverse and did not just claim to be. That would be one commonality between the students and I that we both have attended and are familiar with a diverse school environment. My cultural background consists of Irish, Swedish, and French-Canadian however there is no specific culture that is particularly emphasized by my family. I may not be able to relate to a student whose live is greatly influenced by a certain culture, but I can understand and look into that culture and try to understand that student. If I were a teacher at this elementary school one thing I would have in common with the students is my dedication to help them learn would be equal to their drive to want to learn.
Obviously a challenge that I would face walking in to a classroom or school like the one I tutor in would be finding that level where I could easily relate to students. That does not mean that I could not attempt to look into and understand a student’s culture and what is valued in that culture and how it might affect their schooling and find a way to relate to them, but it would not be an immediate connection. Ira Shor is a theorist who writes about how education is a political process and how teachers should encourage their students to think critically and challenge the norm. Ira Shor says "The contents included and excluded in curriculum are political choices while the unique outcomes of education are not neutral either. But even though the subject matter and the learning process are political choices and experiences, Apple also observed that there was no simple socialization of students into the existing order and no automatic reproduction of society through the classroom."(pg.12) Using the knowledge that education is a political process a teacher can help their students to realize this and to fight against and challenge these politics to better their education. Although many of the time these children fall into the unfortunate cycle that keep them at poverty level, there is always a chance and the hope that a great education will help to break the mold and succeed.
I cannot say that I have encountered misconceptions usually associated with certain ethnic groups. I feel that because the classrooms I was in consisted of 5 and 6 year old children that there was not much awareness of social categories and behaviors assumed to be associated with those groups. I did however notice that the attitude and behavioral problems that are usually assigned to children that come from minority and poverty backgrounds did to some extent exist within the classrooms. I feel however that this is both a cultural and a survival technique. I almost feel that the defensive attitude that I witnessed is a direct result of the difficult environment they live in. Overall, it is important for a teacher to understand his or her students as far as where they come from, what challenges they face, and how important school is to them. A teacher should incorporate the knowledge he or she has about their students backgrounds to greater improve their students understanding and success.
Sociocultural Distinctiveness
The culturally competent teacher should be able to account for, demonstrate awareness of, and respond to the sociocultural distinctiveness of his or her students, families, and communities when planning for and delivering instruction.
The classrooms that I volunteer in consist of all students of minority. There are several Hispanic children which make up the majority of both of the classrooms I work in. Other ethnicities represented in the classes are African American and Asian. Both of the teachers I volunteer with are middle aged white women. These students obviously walk into a classroom with a background and culture that is different from that of their teachers. It is a little harder to point out the specific characteristics of these children that are influenced by their background because they are so young. They are still at the age where social boundaries are not completely apparent to them yet, and everyone is basically equal in their eyes. However, there are subtle actions and dialog that shows the reality of their situation financially and the influence of the culture that exists where they live.
According to Infoworks, 66% of the entire population of the school is Hispanic, 23% is African American, 8% is Asian, and 4% is White. These statistics are clearly represented in the classrooms I volunteer in. Overall only 2% of the students in the entire school are bilingual. In this school, 43% are English Language Learners, and 55% are non-recipients. It is also clear by looking at the information that the majority of the population of this school is living in poverty - 93% are eligible for free or reduced lunch. These statistics may seem a little disheartening especially when you look at the proficiency and realize that in nearly every subject this school falls behind. However, while this school according to the standards of the No Child Left Behind act is considered to be failing- it is not. These students might not be in the percentile that the government feels they should be, but considering the challenges they face everyday I think they are doing pretty well. A child who does not know how to speak English is clearly going to have a more difficult time than a child who does when forced to learn in an all English instruction. Taking into account that almost half of the children at the school are English Language Learners there is bound to be a discrepancy when compared to a school that is made up of mostly students that know English. The situation in this school greatly relates to the theorist Goldenberg who discusses the problems that English Language Learners face and how things in that area need to change. One of the main points that Goldenberg tries to get across is the idea of transfer, or that a student who knows how to read and write in their native language first will have an easier time learning to read and write in English. One shocking statistic shows that in the elementary school where I volunteer, 91% of ELL students do not reach proficiency in Math, and 84% of ELL students do not reach proficiency in reading. Non-ELL students have only 31% not reaching proficiency for both reading and math. The discrepancy between the two is undeniable. Like Goldenberg says, these students are going into an environment knowing one language and being taught in another. According to Goldenberg, 60% of ELL students are in all English instruction. Looking at the percentage of students in my school that do not reach proficiency, you can see a direct effect of these students who are being taught in all English instruction. These ELL students are being looked at as a problem rather than an asset as far as statistics are concerned. I cannot speak for the ESL program and the school, but I imagine they are trying their best to help these students but are lacking the resources to do so. Placing the same difficult standards on a school like this one and a school that is from a rich suburban area seems to me to be pretty ridiculous. Enforcing the idea that these students come in with a different skill set that is an asset and not a detriment will strengthen their self-worth, education, and ultimately the society they live in.
These students walk into the school with so much potential and many obstacles to overcome. A culturally competent teacher should be able to recognize a student's potential and help to encourage and foster that potential in a way that the student can understand and prosper. In the classrooms I volunteer in I have not seen and sort of favoring going on between the teacher and certain students. It is important for the teacher to take into account the environment these children are coming from and try to help them to understand the way the world works, and encourage them to succeed. I know that the teachers in the classrooms I am in are trying to understand and help. It is definitely a different world than the one I grew up in and the one that I was facing in elementary school. One day in the kindergarten class, a little girl raises her hand and says "Teacher guess what, my mom almost got arrested last night because the lady downstairs was being bad so she called the cops". This teacher acknowledged and dismissed the comment all at once and continued on with the morning activities. I am sure this teacher is aware of where these children come from because she has to be after hearing stories like that all the time. I did not spend enough time watching these two teachers teach to be able to tell how well they work toward delivering instruction while considering the sociocultural distinctiveness. However, what I did observe is that they truly care about their students and are trying their best, which is a step that is always involved in creating a better education for these children.
The classrooms that I volunteer in consist of all students of minority. There are several Hispanic children which make up the majority of both of the classrooms I work in. Other ethnicities represented in the classes are African American and Asian. Both of the teachers I volunteer with are middle aged white women. These students obviously walk into a classroom with a background and culture that is different from that of their teachers. It is a little harder to point out the specific characteristics of these children that are influenced by their background because they are so young. They are still at the age where social boundaries are not completely apparent to them yet, and everyone is basically equal in their eyes. However, there are subtle actions and dialog that shows the reality of their situation financially and the influence of the culture that exists where they live.
According to Infoworks, 66% of the entire population of the school is Hispanic, 23% is African American, 8% is Asian, and 4% is White. These statistics are clearly represented in the classrooms I volunteer in. Overall only 2% of the students in the entire school are bilingual. In this school, 43% are English Language Learners, and 55% are non-recipients. It is also clear by looking at the information that the majority of the population of this school is living in poverty - 93% are eligible for free or reduced lunch. These statistics may seem a little disheartening especially when you look at the proficiency and realize that in nearly every subject this school falls behind. However, while this school according to the standards of the No Child Left Behind act is considered to be failing- it is not. These students might not be in the percentile that the government feels they should be, but considering the challenges they face everyday I think they are doing pretty well. A child who does not know how to speak English is clearly going to have a more difficult time than a child who does when forced to learn in an all English instruction. Taking into account that almost half of the children at the school are English Language Learners there is bound to be a discrepancy when compared to a school that is made up of mostly students that know English. The situation in this school greatly relates to the theorist Goldenberg who discusses the problems that English Language Learners face and how things in that area need to change. One of the main points that Goldenberg tries to get across is the idea of transfer, or that a student who knows how to read and write in their native language first will have an easier time learning to read and write in English. One shocking statistic shows that in the elementary school where I volunteer, 91% of ELL students do not reach proficiency in Math, and 84% of ELL students do not reach proficiency in reading. Non-ELL students have only 31% not reaching proficiency for both reading and math. The discrepancy between the two is undeniable. Like Goldenberg says, these students are going into an environment knowing one language and being taught in another. According to Goldenberg, 60% of ELL students are in all English instruction. Looking at the percentage of students in my school that do not reach proficiency, you can see a direct effect of these students who are being taught in all English instruction. These ELL students are being looked at as a problem rather than an asset as far as statistics are concerned. I cannot speak for the ESL program and the school, but I imagine they are trying their best to help these students but are lacking the resources to do so. Placing the same difficult standards on a school like this one and a school that is from a rich suburban area seems to me to be pretty ridiculous. Enforcing the idea that these students come in with a different skill set that is an asset and not a detriment will strengthen their self-worth, education, and ultimately the society they live in.
These students walk into the school with so much potential and many obstacles to overcome. A culturally competent teacher should be able to recognize a student's potential and help to encourage and foster that potential in a way that the student can understand and prosper. In the classrooms I volunteer in I have not seen and sort of favoring going on between the teacher and certain students. It is important for the teacher to take into account the environment these children are coming from and try to help them to understand the way the world works, and encourage them to succeed. I know that the teachers in the classrooms I am in are trying to understand and help. It is definitely a different world than the one I grew up in and the one that I was facing in elementary school. One day in the kindergarten class, a little girl raises her hand and says "Teacher guess what, my mom almost got arrested last night because the lady downstairs was being bad so she called the cops". This teacher acknowledged and dismissed the comment all at once and continued on with the morning activities. I am sure this teacher is aware of where these children come from because she has to be after hearing stories like that all the time. I did not spend enough time watching these two teachers teach to be able to tell how well they work toward delivering instruction while considering the sociocultural distinctiveness. However, what I did observe is that they truly care about their students and are trying their best, which is a step that is always involved in creating a better education for these children.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Unexpected Expectations
My adventures in volunteering in Providence schools began over a month ago and it has been different that what I had walked into it expecting. The elementary school I am tutoring at is in an okay neighborhood, I'm sure it's not the best but it seems as though there are signs that the community is working to improve it. The elementary school is a lot bigger than the one I attended when I was younger. I was a little surprised to find out that there are four or five classrooms for each grade compared to the two per grade that was part of my experience. I guess I walked into this experience with a faint idea that most elementary schools were the same. The experience I had in elementary school was great and is part of the reason why I am working toward being an elementary school teacher now. The school is structured so that the upper grades are on the second floor and the lower grades are on the first floor. I would say that the space is used and distributed pretty well considering the size of the school and the amount of children that go there. The school feels a little chaotic to me. Maybe because my distant memories of elementary school do not consist of the same noise level and structure of this elementary school, but it definitely seems like a challenging environment. When the students are in there classrooms and the hallways are quiet is seems as though everything is under control; however walking past a few classes all heading for a bathroom break at the same time and the chaos ensues once again. Of course with all little kids getting them to be quiet and pay attention is a task within itself, but I think that the size of the school and the amount of kids that attend it make that task a little more difficult. I was placed as a reading buddy in two classrooms, for the first hour I am in a kindergarten class and for the last half hour I am in a first grade classroom. Both of these classrooms provide two different environments for the students in them. In my kindergarten class the teacher for the majority of the time has control of the classroom. To get every student to pay attention at the same time seems to be almost an impossible task. I'm sure that this holds true with most five year old when they are placed in a room together not just this particular classroom or school. The main focus in the kindergarten classroom is on the basics of phonics, counting, months, and weather. Normal kindergarten activities- I only viewed the morning exercises because I am not there all day. I think what is most valued in this classroom is paying attention, being quiet, and being a good participant. I can see this because the children that do these things are the ones chosen to count the number of straws or pennies for how many days they have been in school, and activities similar to that. The environment in the classroom seems to be pretty under control for a kindergarten classroom. The first grade classroom I am in is a different kind of environment. The teacher is new to the school and it is obvious that it is a difficult adjustment. The children in the classroom are a little bit out of control - more so than the kindergarten class. They do not listen very well and it seems that the teacher has to resort to yelling very loudly to quiet the class. The yelling works but it does not change the problems that this teacher faces everyday. I am not exactly sure what is valued strongly in this classroom because I do not have any observation time by the time I get there it is straight to reading buddies. Altogether I like the school I am volunteering at, it is a different experience that I had assumed based on my past experience - but a valuable one none-the-less.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Hello! My name is Ashley Ryan and this is my blog. I am 19 years old and have lived in Rhode Island my whole life. I attended Cranston High School East from 2004-2008. I loved attending a very diverse high school. I like RIC because it is also a very diverse college, and it reminds me somewhat of my high school. I am sophomore at RIC and I am majoring in Elementary Education with a concentration in Special Education. Teaching seems to run in my family. My mom and several aunts and cousins are teachers. I hope to follow in there footsteps and teach with the same dedication and passion as they do. I hope to complete my undergraduate work here at RIC and then continue on to graduate school after. Although I am a little anxious about what lies ahead, I am looking forward to the experience of learning how to be a teacher.
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