How Do We Talk About Issues That Matter?

Why is it that the issues that matter are often the most difficult to speak about? Could it be because these conversation make us uncomfortable? I think we find these conversations uncomfortable because we have never been taught how to have these conversations so we are simply out of practice. Through this module we learned few strategies that can be used in the classroom to help facilitate conversations about issues that matter. The three strategies shown are the Big Paper Strategy, The Barometer Strategy, and The Fishbowl Strategy. Each of these strategies helps children practice speaking about issues that matter in a way that helps them feel comfortable enough about their ideas to share them with others. We can engage in these kind of conversations by not shying away because that gets us nowhere. Avoidance does not make these issues go away, it just allows them to get bigger and continue occurring without anyone putting a stop to it. In order to talk about these issues we have to be able to not speak out, but listen to the opinions of others even if they do not align with ours. It is so much easier to talk with those who share the same views as us because we do not have to worry about them disagree with us turning the conversation sour. Talking with those who share the same ideas with us is nice, but it does not make the same impact as talking with others who hold other views does. When we talk about issues that matter with other we may find a meeting point where we both can implement change for the better. So, how do we talk about issues that matter? By having an open mind, speaking up, and not shying away from these kind of conversations. 

Until the next post,

                                Holly.

11/21/2021 10:03pm

How is Teaching Portrayed to the Public?

 

Let's pretend we had to pick our careers off of selected movie portrayals, and our selected movie was Freedom Writers. What would you think about the teaching profession? My thoughts would be that this profession is not only life-changing for the teacher, but also for the students. Some may not get the same message because of how the movie shows the often hidden and harsh lives of students outside the classroom of low-income schools.

The purpose of the movie is to show us (teachers and students) to defy the odds of stereotypes placed on us that low income schools in dangerous cities and neighborhoods do not produce successful students and that good teachers should not settle or have high hopes for working here because it is pointless. The movie is giving off the message that these low-income students that are not willing to learn because the only way they know to survive is through drugs and violence, and they do not see a way out of the life they live. The significance of the teacher, Erin Gruwell, being eager to come to such school shows that this is where change starts, it starts with someone who is willing to be understanding, caring, and has the determination to not give up on these kids who have only been taught to survive. 

This film teaches us a handful of how class has to do with the level of education students receive. The students in the film live in the projects, which is labeled as a poverty and danger stricken community. The teachers refer to them as "these" students, isolating them from other students who attend different schools in higher class areas. The students also receive damaged and limited material because they do not have the funding to purchase better materials and they also do not want to "waste" the money they do have on "these" students. When Mrs. Gruwell uses her own income to purchase them new personal copies of a book they can relate to, the students immediately notice the condition of their materials and are intrigued to participate.

This film also speaks volumes on how race impacts the classroom. We see that the classroom seating is structured by race. All of the students of the same race sit together and they are very opposed to breaking up or even sitting next to other races. They also allow us to see the different cultures among these races by their language, home-life, clothing, and the stories they tell. Each student faces different challenges and beliefs due to the race they belong to. They feel so divided because they do not look the same but as the film progresses, the teacher helps them realize that they are not so different at all. Although there are not that many females in the film for gender to be a main topic, our teacher is not taken very seriously by those at her school because of her experience, class, and her gender.

I think Freedom Writers realistically portrays teaching because it not only shows the challenging aspects of teaching, but also how they can be overcame. It gives us both sides of teaching and shows us what teaching can be like for less fortunate students, but it does not push us away from these schools, it shows us how caring teachers can make a difference and are needed in all schools. It also displays how teachers are often not supported by the school districts and are sometimes pushed to take matters into their own hands and purchase their own materials or even conduct lessons and work outside of the classroom to further help their students. This film also realistically shows how one teacher can change the lives of many by just simply seeing her students as more than just bodies in their classroom.

What is Worth Learning?

 

This week's compelling question is a tricky one because the is no right or wrong answer because there is a lot of grey area to cover. I think everything is worth learning if taught right, but also we can learn from injustices we are taught. In order to teach knowledge that is worth learning, we have to have an understanding of explicit curriculum, null curriculum, and hidden curriculum. Think of explicit curriculum as very direct and well, explicit. Students are told exactly what is expected of them, such as how to walk in the hallway, classroom rules, and even when it okay to talk and when they should catch a bubble. I think this is the type of curriculum that is worth learning in elementary schools because students are coming in with mostly mo prior knowledge of how to behave other than having to listen to their teacher. I can see explicit curriculum being used the most in kindergarten through first grade as preparation. Then as they progress through school, I believe the use of explicit curriculum lessens. This kind of teaching may used during syllabus week but after that, teacher begin focusing on other aspects of curriculum. To help you understand null curriculum, just think of the phrase, "null and void." This is a form of curriculum where only some aspects of politics or history are taught and other aspects are deemed null or avoided. This kind of curriculum only paints a one-dimensional picture of learning and it decides what is worth learning. I think what is deemed "null" is actually what we need to learn, that way we learn from all sides. Hidden curriculum can be thought of as aspects of education that are not necessarily hidden but more like overlooked by society. Hidden curriculum occurs more in schools that are considered low income. Students who attend school with higher incomes are taught more than those with less and the students are taught critical thinking and problem solving skills that are not only necessary in school, but also in life. Students who experience hidden education often lack resources and they get a strict education that emphasizes listening to authority and not questioning what is, while upper-class students get to question what they are learning. I believe all three of these curriculums are worth learning if taught correctly. For example, we have to be aware of hidden curriculum in order to be able to give students of all incomes equal education. Then we must also be aware of null curriculum to teach the unknown. 

How Are Schools Integrated?

 

Schools are integrated by the population of each school zone. Based off what I learned from this week’s module I became more aware of how deep racism is embedded into our history. African Americans have always been kept segregated and beneath the rest, even when it comes to their quality of life and living space. I wasn’t aware of the term “redlining,” which according to the definition given in video, The Disturbing History of the Suburbs, is how the government systematically prevented African Americans from getting loans for their home. In my mind, I think redlining is self explanatory, what does the color red normally signify? Wrong, stop, and no are all negative terms that I, and can assume many others associate with this color. I can imagine a home loan application appearing on a bank loaners desk and then crossing the application out with a red line as soon as the realize the applicant is African American. I was shocked to learn that things even went as far as writing laws that only allowed for caucasians to live in certain areas. 

After exploring this topic, I felt angry at not only the government but myself. I was angry at myself because I know that the government does all they can to prevent people of color from advancing in society, so I do not know why I was so shocked during this module. The federal government did and still intentionally segregates African American from communities by not making them affordable. It also goes way beyond just homes, they isolate them from good school districts, universities, hospitals, and healthy food options. Our government created the “hoods,” not the people who occupy them. The white picket fences no longer stand for the American dream to me, they stand as a form of separation because they only want whites to live beyond those fences. 

See you next post Readers,

                                                      Holly.

How Can Schools Be More Equitable?

 

There is often confusion between equity and equality. I believe this photo gives a visual definition of the two. The picture on the left represents equity when it comes to the children being the same height. In order for them all to be the same height, the girl on the left needs two blocks to help her be level with the tallest student. The middle student only needs one block to get him level with them all. The last student on the right is already the tallest so he does not need any assistance from the blocks to be level with his classmates. This demonstrates equity because everyone is given the same opportunity, but the amount support the get depends on how much then need to be equal to the others. The image to the right demonstrates equality, each student is seen standing on one red block, but you can see that they are not level to each other. Although they are each receiving the same amount of assistance, they are still not equal. Schools can be more equitable by providing students with not all the same amount of assistance, but assistance based off their needs so there are equal opportunities for them all. School populations are made up with numerous students from different incomes, backgrounds, and cultures. Especially when it comes to poverty in the classroom, those student may need more resources than the rest of their classmates. According to one of our readings this week, The Myth of the Culture of Poverty, there is no culture of poverty, it is just a handful of stereotypes based of those who have a low income. Schools and teachers often make judgments of students and fall into the trap of stereotypes. Some educators may not help the students who need more because then they are not giving the other students the same amount of help, but the thing is....those other students do not need as much as the others do. Educators need to take a step back a realize that equity makes equality possible. How can students be equal if they have varying needs? Equity allows students to reach equality with their peers. For example, if a student is still learning English and they need one on one tutoring before an exam and others who are fluent in English only need a study guide, that is equity. Providing the extra tutoring necessary gets the student who is struggling ready for the exam just like the study guide get the others prepared for the exam. Neither one of them is getting more help than the other, they simply getting the help they need. I believe the key to schools becoming more equitable is simply giving students the assistance and resources they each need based on their individual needs. Once this is accomplished, we can finally reach equality in school because each student has resources specific to them that put them at the same level for opportunities as their classmates.

Until the next post Readers,

                                                             Ms. Holly 

10/17/2021-11:02pm

How Can Educational Philosophies Influence Schooling?

I believe educational philosophies have a strong influence on teaching styles which then impacts schooling. I explored the five main philosophies, perennialism, essentialism, social reconstructivism, progressivism, and postmodernism, and they each have a different influence in the classroom. Perennialism has to do more with faith and will and instilling strong order and discipline into the classroom. I believe this is the kind of education some students may receive at an academy or private school and students may not have the freedom to learn about current topics that interest them. This would be a more traditional learning style that dates to the history of schooling. Essentialism has to deal with idealism and realism, by teaching students the traditions and cultures of the past. Relating back to its name, essentialism is based on the essential subjects such as reading, writing, and mathematics. This is a more standard type of schooling that relies on using discussion and reading from common books. This kind of schooling in often found in public schools. Social Reconstructivism is centered around change and improving society through schooling. It places an emphasis on critical thinking to promote democracy and to push students not to settle for what is. A classroom based on this philosophy may involve lots of time in the community and dealing with societal problems. Progressivism has to do with a more hands-on type of schooling. A progressive classroom is more student-centered and promotes individuality and a democratic society. Students are in charge of their schooling and teachers play the role of the facilitator with no set curriculum. Postmodernism is schooling based off of critical theory and a combination of the other philosophies. In this type of classroom, reality is subjective and differs from person to person so there is also not a strict curriculum but more of a critical one that varies by each student.

Thanks for reading, 

Holly. 

 

10/10/21 - 10:32pm.

What Rights Should Be Protected for Students and Teachers?

 

I believe all of our civil rights should be upheld in the classroom, but I do think there are respectful limits for each right. For example, the first amendment should be upheld but there are limitations to this, students have to respect the classroom rules and in return their rights will be respected. Students could disrupt the class and try to get away with it by saying it is their first amendment right. Religion should also not be forced on students or instructors with the exception of private religious schools where students are enrolled by choice. Then according to the Free Exercise Clause, students and teachers may discuss religion as they wish as long as they are not promoting or forcing it onto others. Schools should also respect the right to privacy, especially when it comes to search and seizure. Property must be respected and not taken or looked through without good reason, but I believe the school also has the right to prohibit certain things from being brought onto campus for safety reasons. Schools should also grant everyone the freedom of expression and individuality as long as it does not violate or provoke others. I also believe the eighth amendment should be more strongly enforced in schools, especially ones that still use forms of corporal punishment. I think it would be a good idea the create a classroom bill of rights with your students that helps them maintain and know their rights within the classroom. Informing students and teachers on their rights only ensures that everyone is treated fairly to help promote a healthy learning environment. 

What Am I Willing To Do To Educate All Children?

 

As teachers, our job is to educate our students, but as individuals we have to be willing to educate all of our students no matter their race, beliefs, or gender. I want my students to feel welcomed in my classroom and not feel like they do not belong or are insignificant. In one of the videos I watched in this week’s module, the speaker presented a rap that a student had created and the student speaks about sitting in the back of the class waiting to escape, and that even when he does want to raise his hand in class, he knows it will go unseen. I believe that should never be case, a student should not want to raise their but shy away because the teacher does not acknowledge their hand. In order to help every student feel recognized, I will try and call on different students all the time and not call on the same hands. I will also occasionally call on students who do not have their hands raised because I know from personal experience that sometimes you have the right answer, but you do not feel confident enough to share it with the class. I also know that I may run into the problem of time and calling on each raised hand so my solution is to vocally acknowledge and thank them for raising their hands and ask if they have anything important to add before we move on since we have already answered the question. I will also mimic students’ own personal and cultural learning tools. In order to do this, I need to build a connection with each of my student so I can give them the kind of education they deserve. To make connections with my students, I can have my students create an “All About Me,” poster that will include insight on their home life and who they are and then be presented to the class. I could also send an iPad home each week with a different student and they will be tasked with recording a weekend in their life. By recording their weekend I can get a sense of their family structure and what they may deal with outside of school. I will also simply talk to my students and let them know I care for them and only want what is best for them. If the child feel cared for, they will feel safe and want to participate in the classroom. Another way of educating all my students is using parent involvement. Parent involvement helps me as the teacher get to know they family better and also builds a teacher-parent support system. Most importantly, classrooms should not be a place where discrimination occurs, every child deserves to be educated, and educated correctly based off each individual.

Until our next post readers,

 Holly. 

Does Gender Affect the Teaching Profession?

 

It is 2021, we would think that by now, gender does not affect the teaching profession but unfortunately, it still does. While trying to find an image for this blog post, I typed "teacher" into google and all the images that immediately loaded were of predominantly white and female teachers. I think the stereotype and view that teaching is a woman's profession is still in place today. Throughout my K-12 experience I have had eight male teachers and four out of the eight were athletic coaches. The coaches always went by coach in the classroom, but the female coaches were never referred to as coach in the classroom, but why? The female coaches had step into the teacher role in the classroom, but the same standard was not set for the coaches, because they thought of themselves as coaches, not teachers. There is still a significant difference in the pay of male and female teachers. Even if both genders are coaches and teachers, the males still earn more. During my senior year of high school, I was given the opportunity to visit the admin building for our school district meet all the available staff members. I cannot remember her name or her position anymore but her job position was directly below the superintendent, and since my class was all girls except for two boys, she told us a secret. She said, "They don't want us to make it, they believe that we (females) should stay in the classroom and leave administration up to the "big guys" but that we could change that by never giving up on a position we want just because of our gender." She then explained that she had wanted her current profession for two years before she was even considered for the position and she said she was even overqualified for the job and they were still hesitant because a woman had never held that position before. Since were able to speak to her in office, it was clear that she had followed the advice she had given us. In The Teacher Wars, there was a statement made that woman should be teachers because they are motherly and should take care of and educate the children. That once again emphasizes the stereotype that woman should stay home and raise the children while the men went out and did the "real" work. I have had motherly teachers, but what is wrong with fatherly teachers? I have had male teachers who cared for their class just as much as my female teachers, does that make them fatherly? I also do not agree with the idea that mothers should be forced to just be stay-at-home spouses, while their husbands get to receive an education and be a part of the workforce. Also, with how sexuality and gender and becoming more open today, I think schools should be more open-minded also. They look down on teacher who do not dress "proper" but really, they mean "girly." Then we also have teachers who do not identify with a gender and I can only imagine all the struggles they face in the teaching profession. Although, we have made advancements for teachers, we still have a long way to go. 

What is the Purpose of Schools?

The purpose of schools has changed throughout history. In the beginning, school was primarily based upon growing the country economically and to promote democracy. When religion was big in the colonies, it was based around the church. Then, school moved onto purposely only focusing on educating the elite and leaving the poor to self-educate or learn through the clergy. Schools were not equally accessible, they often left out students who had to work and they also did not see a point in educating women. After awhile, views shifted on the education of women and they began to learn more than reading and writing to help raise moral children. Once again, schools focused on educating children to help them learn the foundations of democracy to be able to be knowledgeable voters. They also saw education as a way of creating bonds among the diverse classes and promote American unity. I believe the purpose of school is to educate the future and prepare them to not only be apart of democracy. but to also be kind, smart, and upstanding citizens to help society improve with each following generation. 

The Big Question- Why Teach?

 Every teacher gets asked the question, "Why did you become a teacher?" My response to why I want to teach would have to be that being a teacher is all I have ever wanted to be. Of course, when I was little, I wanted to grow up and become a celebrity, but once I got to school and entered the classroom, I knew. I knew this was where I wanted to be, in the classroom, not just as a student, but as the teacher. I admired my teachers as they led the class and just thought to myself, "I cannot wait until that is me at the front of the classroom." The very first day of school I came home and told my parents I wanted to become a teacher when I grew up and I have never changed my mind since. I do not come from a family of teachers, and I am the first in my immediate family to attend a university. Fortunately, all through elementary school I had fantastic teachers who I looked up to, but I met THE teacher in high school. Her name was Mrs. Palmer, she really took my hand, opened my mind to see all the possibilities, and touched my heart. As I stated before, I always knew I wanted to become a teacher, but she helped me bring out my full potential and showed me that I could be just like her and all of the other teachers I had admired growing up. I loved and still love the way Mrs. Palmer teaches. Her classroom does not just feel like a school classroom, it feels like home - exactly how I want my classroom to feel for my future students. I could tell she cared about us not just as students, but as individuals. I want to teach because I want to be that teacher, I want to reach my students not just academically but also personally, because they are the future. 

I want to go on teaching grades K-2nd but I have a passion for reading that I want to share my passion with students who might struggle when it comes to reading. After teaching for two years and acquiring my master's degree, I would like to become a reading specialist at an elementary school. Reading is all around us and it can take us to extraordinary places if we embrace it. Reading also helps us communicate and understand others and we may feel lost if we struggle with reading, so I want to help those children find their way. I believe no child should feel lost academically, because there is always someone willing to help, and if there is not, I want to be that person for them. I want to work in the elementary setting because I have always worked with younger children and absolutely enjoy it, but also because I believe our foundation for reading takes place as soon as we enter school.