Please respond to either Reconceptualist or Sleeter quotes below before engaging in our online Chapter 7 & 8 (Oakes & Lipton, 2007) dialogue.
Thinking about the nature of our course, consider this conceptual outlook on AERA’s webpage:
Reconceptualists, consider the:
cultural-sociological-political implications of the curriculum taught. Reconceptualists are not only, or even primarily interested in the official curriculum, as curriculum developers are, but seek to examine the hidden curriculum, the subtext that comes with teaching a specific curriculum a certain way to specific groups of students. Reconceptualists, in other words, are interested in much more than subject matter. They are interested in the messages or ideologies (hidden knowledge) that underlay not only subject matter, but also pedagogy, social interactions, and classroom settings, and educational practices as well as institutional contexts that have long come to be taken for granted. Many reconceptualists ultimately ask the question, who benefits from these configurations, and who loses…. in the cultural-sociological-political implications of schooling with respect to social justice, citizenship, or the role education is or should play in society at large.
Source: American Educational Research Association (AERA) Division B - Curriculum Instruction. (Retrieved August 7, 2007).
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Considering your emerging philosophy of education, are you a Reconceptualist? Is there a need for Reconceptual thinking in education? How has your reading of Oakes & Lipton (2007) influenced your ideas about education?
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My writing prompt response: As a critical theorist, I understand that education and language are not neutral landscapes and that they are highly politicized and controlled by the mainstream, dominant society. As an educator, I am an advocate in giving voice to those who may be underrepresented culturally, linguistically, politically, economically. I continue to challenge content in textbooks and in the curriculum and expose students to these incongruencies so they too may recognize, question and begin to think critically on their own. In preparing our students for their future, my philosophy of education has changed to better preparing our children to be productive in flexible and adaptable environments working with diverse others, culturally, linguistically, educationally, economically. Learning within environments that are meaningful, relevant and authentic has become an important focus of my teaching apporach.
Reconceptualism is a synonym for critical theory and in this way, I do believe my teaching foundation resonates with both. Neil Postman said: "The lives of our children are shaped by what they will see and hear in the media" and "Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.'' (Frances)
Source: Public Discourse in the Age of Showbusiness (2007).
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Also consider:“One of the great challenges facing multicultural education today is the widening gap between its conceptualization as a redistribution of power and privilege in all aspects of schools and schooling and the practice of well-meaning, left-leaning educators who implement it in ways that recycle, rather than overturn, systemic power imbalances.” Christine Sleeter
Please respond to either Reconceptualist or Sleeter quotes above before engaging in our online Chapter 7 & 8 (Oakes &Lipton, 2007) dialogue.
______________________________________________________________________________Now we may proceed with our Chapter 7 & 8 discussion about Classroom Management & Grouping, Tracking & Categorical Programs (Oakes & Lipton, 2007):
I am definitely a reconceptualist. Half of the time I am off of the curriculum map. A lot of the time what the district assumes these kids knows is not true. We spend a lot of time talking and researching things that are not in the book or on the curriculum map.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kyle! Looks like it is just you and I right now. Do you consider yourself a critical theorist in exposing the inequities, biases and social issues in your classes?
ReplyDeleteI think I am fair to all the students. When I say fair I mean I try to give all of them what they need to succeed. I do address and give time for discussion of social issues in my class when they are brought up by me or the students. So, yes I do as much as I can to me things socially just.
ReplyDeleteI really believe like C. Sleeter that the challenge of multicultural education in the gap.. because just review how our federal response to intervention strategies and the funding of programs reaches most time spent and least amount of dollars available to spend on the lowest 10% of schools while the most money goes to those closest to the "profient" goal in NCLB! talk about two sets of rules or double standards or bias legislation>
ReplyDeleteMy comment disappeared!! I'll try this one to get the bugs out.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the Sleeter quote:
ReplyDeleteI think teachers interpret the definition of multicultural education very differently depending on their background and personal experiences/education. Each year our school celebrates Diversity Day on Martin Luther King Day, and each year as we brainstorm how we want to set up the day and each of the stations I find myself questioning the methods of presenting diversity to our students. All too often I think it's much easier to throw something "multicultural" into a lesson than to really address the social justice and multicultural education purpose. However, in order to bridge that gap I feel teachers need to feel passionate about this topic and more importantly, be informed. If teachers don't have a full understanding of what it means to implement multicultural education, then of course that gap is going to remain between actually redistributing the power and recycling the power in the wrong place. Teachers have to be educated first in order to pass the power on to their students.
Hi, Vicky, nice to hear from you!
ReplyDeleteSo how do you teach 'multiculturally', Vicky. Do you address these issues of double standards sets of rules with your students as opportunities for dialogue, empowerment, etc?
I guess I will start the discussion on the chapters. In reading chapter 7 I realized that I need to be nicer to my students, especially the ones that give me grief all the time. I try but it is hard. I don't usually mind if they give me a hard time to an extent, It really bothers me when the start to distract others from doing their work. In the discussion on punishment I remember getting swats in front of my class everyday in 3rd grade. I don't know how much good it did because I kept getting swats. I started to behave in the 4th grade because I felt like the teacher cared about me. She was great! I will never forget her name, Mrs. Gains. I behaved in her class because I didn't want to disappoint her, not because I was afraid of punishment.
ReplyDeleteI respond to my students in the way I would want a teacher to respond to my own children. I also teach with the door open. Anyone can hear me!I also agree with Vicky. The first thing that was taken from our school after we "failed" AYP was field trips not specifically tied to curriculum.
ReplyDeleteThe next year we lost professional development money. Ladera went to an RTI training;Animas stayed home!!
On page 248, Judy Smith (Oakes & Lipton, 2007) refers to "society runs on spoken and unspoken norms." Eduationally, what does she mean do you think?
ReplyDeleteI can see great points in both quotes. However, in teaching music I never thought to look at the underlying messages within the curriculum. Also as far as the multicultural quote goes, I try to be as fair as I can with my students no matter their cultural background, IQ, sex, race or any other thing that makes people unique. I see them as individuals who each have needs and wants and interests.
ReplyDeletefrom chapter 7, Class Management:
ReplyDeletethis was a great refresher of things learned last school year with Quilla and building classroom communities. I especially liked the quotefrom oakes & lipton that an hour of silence in the classroom does not mean that the teacher has good discipline or that good learing took place! WOW. this chapter was for me and the challenges of a three grade, multi-level class this year. It was so refreshing to see in print what I believe to be true and practice , that "with it" teachers dont see management as discipline like traditional discipline of control but more as learning strategies. Classrooom management is a collection of best practices that make the most of every oppertunity to build community, make connections to life & literature and build relationships. That increases knowledge and improves the community(ies).
Frances, I think she means that people are usually not open to change. The way my teachers and parents acted is the way I should act. They were classroom dictators and I should be too.
ReplyDeleteHi, Well this is my 4th try to post and this is my comment to the writing prompt. While making my lesson plans this weekend for my senior class, our textbook has excerpts from different ancient texts: The Bible, Qu'ran, Torah etc. and have stories of the flood and a comparison/contrast of them. Of course there is no representatio of the Native American stories of the flood and I know that this is from the written histories. But I have been on-line trying to find Native stories of the flood so that my students can make connections and relate. Does this make me a Reconceptionalist? I think so.
ReplyDeleteYeah! I think I am finally on!
ReplyDeleteI know my students will face problems both at school and in the community based on their physical appearance. I try to teach respect for others by modeling it to them.
ReplyDeletefor me, I teach multicultural education in a bilingual , print rich room. BOth Navajo & English. I read aloud weekly, two or more selections and discuss summary and author's point of view. We do a lot of Native history and watch quite a few "violent" movies/DVDs as well as read as much as we can by native writiers. I'm always looking for more print by and about Natives. A student last year commented , "why do you read so much about black americans?" Well, our selections here have more titles done by and about them. How and where do we find more elementary native stories? that is our quest from the public library and small class collections. We plan to rewrite some parts of history from the Navajo point of view this year in 4th-5th grade NM history. My multicultural education compares as much as possible from curriculum to Navajo tradition so connections and knowledge encrease.
ReplyDeleteFrances, I think Judy Smith means that there are some ways that things are that people learn to accept without question.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I remember hearing about the Navajo creation stories in a class I took long ago- there was part that talked about fish people I think. But I don't remember anything resembling a great flood.
ReplyDeleteI guess there is not much for me to monitor in my curriculum. No hidden messages in addition or letter sounds. So my goal is to watch my expectations. I want them to all be learners and my research question has to do with personal background knowledge every child has. That notion is certainly missing if you look at my pacing guide. The district seems to think they are "empty vessels."
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting reading about all of the discipline styles in Chapter 7. The first few were tough for me to read and I found myself arguing against them. However, as I got towards the end of the chapter where it focused on caring communities, I felt a sigh of relief. I really feel that my classroom is a caring community and that I don't have many discipline problems because they feel cared for and respected.
ReplyDeleteOn page 269 it talks about how not all discipline has to be the same for each student, and that if trust is established students will understand that the teacher's actions will be fair to the situation. I struggle with this in my classroom often. I have consequences that my students know to expect. However, when they have circumstances that are valid or challenges for various reasons, that line is fuzzy for me. I know it's important to be consistent, but I can't help making exceptions occasionally. I know as a teacher I have the power to make that choice. One thing I've noticed this year however, is that my students don't argue or whine when I give a student "grace." Instead I feel like they are compassionate as well, and know that if it were them (or when it becomes them) I would be/will be fair to them as well.
I am going to post some of my favorite quotes from the reading. p. 253 "Neither learning nor "discipline" are easily achieved if an hour-ong silent classroom is taken as proof of "good discipline" and good learning." p. 262 "When teachers are credible-that is, their words and actions are consistent-students will be less likely to "test" teachers with misbehavior."
ReplyDeletep. 274 "Paulo Freire, for example, argued that students must never be manipulated or controlled".
Frances, I think the quote means that there are more's that everyone accepts as correct for society but not everyone considers the same behavior as socially correct. We have the norms that are behavior based and what everyone considers appropriate behavior in public and at home but those lines can be blurred by different ethnic groups. We have to be aware of those when we speak to our students. For example in the native culture it is not considered polite for a youth to look an adult in the eye, but then we as teachers tell our students to "look at me when I am speaking to you!"
ReplyDeleteSherry, sometimes I think the only "empty vessels" are in the government who pushes these crazy curriculum maps and mandates. (What is said here stays here, right?)
ReplyDeleteSusan- maybe this will help. Ask your Navajo students too:
ReplyDeleteNavajo culture has four worlds. The current time in history is the fourth world of the Navajo. THe first world was a water world. It was blue. and the insects were created and has to escape into the second world through a grass straw to survive the water. and in that world , more creatures were created. When this fourth world ends, that will be the end of the Navajo people.
Jeni, I know what you mean. It is sometimes hard to make exceptions when you feel like the students will overhear and try to take advantage. Being consistent is definitely challenging at times. I am glad that your students are being compassionate and trusting you to make that decision.
ReplyDeleteSherry, I like what you said about teaching respect by modeling it to them. It goes along perfectly with pg. 271 in talking about The Child Development Project in California. It says, "core values must be experienced, not just taught." We have a lot of power just by what we model for our students, and hopefully at least just exposure to those positive core values will have an impact.
ReplyDeleteI read a book about him in my online class. I agree with most of what he said but his education system was way different than ours so not everything applies but I do agree with that statement. The only thing my students seem to struggle with this year is physical contact that is not friendly. I spend a lot of time explaining how to get someone to stop bothering "you" respectfully. If my classroom was quiet for 5 minutes, there would be something seriously wrong! I like to hear them working and talking things out. I guess if they were in 6th grade they might be considered cheating!
ReplyDeleteIn my class, about 90% of the time it is ok to talk. I think that most of the time my students learn more from each other than they do from me. A lot of the time they can explain things differently than I can.
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued by the section on Assertive Discipline on page 258. I liked the statement "Students learn to make judgements based on what they can get away with-rather than learn to read the environment and make choices that are appropriate for themselves and for the classroom community." This relates so well to the classroom that I came home to after being gone last Friday. My sub has a very strict persona and my Seniors just don't like her very much and I have more write-ups when she subs for me than any other sub. They have to argue with her and call her names just to get her goat but then she writes them. It seems to be a losing battle for her. My classroom is based on responsiblities and not rules. I have to remind them that it takes 2 to argue and I am putting it on their shoulders NOT to argue. It is a fine line that we walk sometimes when the students are so used to being disciplined and not taught.
ReplyDeleteOn p.263 the quote "...uninteresting lessons make any problem, including discipline, worse." I remember dull, dull lessons when I was in school. Even now I learn better if I can work with others. Coila's class was a great example.She played an important part in making us a community. That is what I want for my kindergarten students. Do you remember the poem "All I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" or I think that is the title.
ReplyDeleteMy classes usually insist on talking. They only way i can get them to stop is when we sing. : )
ReplyDeleteSherry, I think you are right. I strive to build a community feeling within my classroom. I am struggling a bit with my 8th grade class because it is so big and it is almost like the sopranos vs. the altos. I am not sure how to fix it.
ReplyDeleteHAVE HOPE all my fellows!
ReplyDeletepg. 328, Oakes & Lipton,
" The status quo does change-by slow, painful degrees, to be sure, but it changes."
Good teaching, caring consistant teaching,building self respect and emotional security will move our students to a better tomorrow. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK ALL.
as said from a science teacher a decade ago,
" teach to change the world"
I think it is not only the curriculum to blame and those who developed it. it depends on teachers and how they interpret it.I caught myself on the thought that I am trying to pass on values and attitudes that I am convinced are supposed to work for everybody. I am fighting it and trying to free myself from the biases. But..
ReplyDeleteFor example, today I asked teachers to make little paper flags of countries in order to use them during the Vet Day celebration. I advised that every class would pick one country and the teacher would make the whole unit about this country- social studies, history, geography- whatever...
Also I mentioned that children will wave those flags at the end of the song"It's a small world". One teacher showed her disagreement by saying:I don't want my students to wave flags of other countries during the VetDay , we did so much for many countries, and they only do harm to A. and went she on...
I explained that the song is about the small world we live in and we need to do everything possible to avoid wars... she started screaming about protecting the country.. I am not against of protecting the country.. but she did not listened.
You are talking about those who are on the top... but we, teachers, are at the wheel.
Vicky, thanks for those encouraging words. :) You're absolutely right! It's so easy to get discouraged...but the work we are doing does make a difference.
ReplyDeleteWhen I get down on the way things are going I also tell myself that things have to get better. The pendulum has gone about as far as it can go. A teacher today told me, "When is someone going to say, STOP, this isn't working?" What a great idea. I think people are saying it, just not the people who are in a position to change it.
ReplyDeleteI want to sing in my class but they only want to listen to Bob Marley songs. LOL
ReplyDeleteI also refer to everything in our classroom as "ours." I introduced the janitor to them when we were learning about school helpers. It made her real to them. Now they automatically pick up without me telling them because they know her and what she does. My room rarely looks messy as compared to the other kindergarten rooms. Just another way to show respect.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should go on strike!
ReplyDeleteI guess what I am trying to say is I think we have a community in our room. I don't know for sure though. I will ask them and see what they say. If they don't see it, then I will have a social justice topic for my December teach!
ReplyDeleteSusan, "The River of Separation" is from the Navajo creation story. Why don't you ask someone at yout school or ask a parent about Navajo flood stories. Local stories will be more relevant and your students will connect to someone who is local. Perhaps s/he can come in to tell the story!
ReplyDeleteThinking about it, Four Worlds were created because of flooding; that is how Navajos migrated to each of the worlds. And of course you know coyote has something to do with some of those floods!
I think I have too many kids to build any type of community. I do have the same kids for my 1st and 2nd hour, and I have a lot of those kids for my 3rd hour so I get to know them. But for the other kids 150+ kids I see all day, I don't see them enough to build a relationship with them, much less have them build a relationship with the whole class. Each lass has it's own feel and personality, but I wouldn't call it a "community".
ReplyDeleteI will resonance with Kyle about the way how caring works. The same like with parents. parents care about you and then you , caring for them, are not giving them hard time. I always was afraid that my mom could die sooner if i will be a bad student in school. With my students(Frances ,i know you don't like us calling our students "my", but I refer to students whom I teach) it works too. Even when I scream(YES< I DO ), and then I apologize, I can tell that they knew that I did it because I cared and wanted them to do better job.They even articulated it. it is interesting , that for almost 6 year of teaching, no one student or parent complained about me screaming.
ReplyDeleteThat would be drastic! I missed an inservice project last Friday. My friend gave me the paperwork and tried very hard to keep a straight face while she explained it to me. Basically, I have to have an expanded lesson plan (something like we did for understanding by design) ready by December 9th. That is when our inservice teacher will return to "go over them with us." I am NOT doing it. I will, instead, make a copy of my planbook to show I am already doing what is being asked of us. Lesson planning 101...REALLY? They will not be able to make us do all of the things they are asking. We know they don't work, we just have to let them get the message!!
ReplyDeleteNatalia, the teacher? who screamed at you for wanting to wave other countries' flags is an interesting perspective. The big question for me is where she was coming from with that seemingly fearful request. Perhaps getting to understanding why she feels that way would be a beginning place to understand from her point of view. In other words, understanding HER story may be a way helping make sense to you why she asked not to wave flags from other countries.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought. Obviously it is something she feels very strongly about. This is a good indicator that she has a reason and rational for this postition. This is always a great point of entry in asking someone more deeply WHY they feel the way they do. Sometimes just asking for more explanation in a sincere desire of wating to know, is an act of respecting diversity.
Do we want to go on to Chaper 8?
ReplyDeleteFrances
ReplyDeleteThat is a great point. Knowing where someone is coming from always helps. When I find out that one of my students is sleeping on the kitchen floor because there are so many people living in his house, it makes it easier to make concessions for their homework not being finished. This story is the main reason I quit giving homework. My first year at the High School I tried giving homework, I was getting about 10% turned in. I no longer have that problem and my clas is one less that the students have to worry about at night.
Chapter 8:
ReplyDeleteSiromani - You always have inclusion in music in the elementary level. Do you have full inclusion at the Middle School for Choir or is it an elective?
I'll start Sherry. Here goes, Chapter 8. I see both the arguments about not grouping kids according to ability. I have seen both seem effective and non effective. I guess the way I see it is that if they are going t make the decision I will make the best of it. I mean, effective teaching is effective teaching. And when it comes to research I am very critical. Anymore you can find any research to validate almost any point of view. My own research and experiences hold more weight than anything I read anymore.
ReplyDeleteIn the management chapter "Why is it that children and adolescents -who by nature are eager and voracious learners-become seen as unwilling troublemakers who need to be controlled and manipulating into paying attention and learning at school?" How true...
ReplyDeleteI always state that i am lucky to work as a music teacher. Classroom teachers often share who are their best classroom michievers. very often I am surprised to hear negative responces about a student who is doing perfectly fine in my music classroom.
After visiting some classrooms i understood that I would never be able to make considerable part of curriculum be so appealing to kids that they would be happily engaged in learning and I would practice democratic ways of managing my classroom. The type of curriculum is conceived for autocratic classroom management.
Choir is an elective. However, I really wish I could group my choirs. I know the whole chapter talks about how tracking and grouping can be bad, but I wish that I could have my students who are beginners in one choir. It would make my teaching easier and my choir sound better.
ReplyDeleteJust want to say thanks to Frances, Vicki and Kyle on the suggestions towards Native stories of the flood. Will keep it in mind for next week.
ReplyDeleteWith English being a core clas, it is inclusion for some teachers. I have inclusion this year and the 1st year I taught. Last year, I had 2 Ell classes so no inclusion. We only have 2 teachers in the English dept. that are not TESOL endorsed, so the students that are identified ELL are not put in with those teachers. I teach my students how I teach and usually utilizing ELL strategies even when I don't have those students in my class.
ReplyDeleteSiromani
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that you don't have a beginning choir and an advanced choir. I would advocate for one next year if at all possible. You can create such a better group when you can focus your strategies on those who really need it.
My groups are flexible but our first half-hour of the day the entire kindergarten is in abilty based groups so we can make sure everyone is getting served whatever level they are on. It has saved us as far as having nearly 98% on grade level by the end of the year. I do not do ability grouping in my classroom though. Just whoever is working on whatever skill is put into a small group.But I do a lot of individual work too. That is much easier to give feedback-one-on-one.
ReplyDeleteI know. It all has to do with scheduling. Because 6th grade 7th grade and 8th grade are all on different schedules, it is hard for me to take some students from each grade to put in one class.
ReplyDeletei agree that labeling has potential for negative effects. i can vividly remember effects of that from my own elementary years. however, teaching in groups in my classroom is the only way i can effectively manage two grades at the same time. my groups are sometimes by grade and sometimes by level. i don't like putting the students in the leveled groups, but my job is to differentiate to meet their needs and that's how it works. even though there's still a stigma with which group they're in, i know that the challenge they're receiving is the appropriate level for each student. if it ends up not being right for them, i'll move them. they don't say anything about the groups they're in, but i know they know, and that bothers me, but i don't know how i can change that. so yes, labeling is bad, and working in leveled groups is a form of labeling, but i don't feel like i can get rid of them. the nice thing about our school is we don't have sped, and we don't have a gifted program. so, students are free from those labels. the fact that our classrooms are multi grade also allow for a little bit of room with meeting students where they're at without as much labeling. so, it's not all bad, but i do wonder if there's a better way.
ReplyDeleteKyle, I think you have a relationship with each of your classes. However, some are stronger and more solid that others. However, I would argue that students in all of your classes know that you care about them and the subject you teach and that it is important for them to learn in your class. Your interaction with them determines the nature of your classroom community. You share your values and how you value them by what you say, do; by what you don't say and don't do. One hundres fifty plus is a lot of students to know. However, there are so many ways to convey that when they are in your classroom, you are family. Getting to know and understand as many of your students is a real goal and challenge, I agree. Showing that you care and respect them is what you can give each of them while they are with you.
ReplyDeleteWHERE'S JESSIE?
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be pull-out or inclusion. Which way is better? I think if the inclusion creates an atmosphere of community great but if it detracts from the learning of other students then we are only meeting 1 person's needs and not meeting the other 24 students. It's hard, I know. I have been there. Also, when students are pulled out then they sit there waiting for the time to pass and don't get their required work done in their inclusion class because the next class is going to bake cookies instead of reading.
ReplyDeleteAlso Differentiated instruction IS grouping by abilities. I noticed if I teach a concept that is above heads of low-performing students- they start acting out. they don't get it and they respond to it by distracting me and others.I am not grouping my students(sorry again Frances) directly, but indirectly I do deliver the same topic differently, later, when so called "benchmark' kids started working on a problem. At the same moment I get "low" kids together and explain the concept on different level.it is reality- there are always different levels of abilities for different reasons.
ReplyDeleteIn the contemporary grouping practices, ch.8 ability by many other names- it sounds like in the Russian saying"The same salad, only under different dressing",sequence of euphemisms.Sorting and categorising are the ways how our brain deals with data, or, at least how our brain was taught to deal with data.
I have to say as a mother of two gifted children I would prefer my children get a more advanced education but my daugher prefers to spend her time in mixed classes only because she has been placed in all gifted classes for 10 years. She says they are like a family who is 10 hours into a 20 car trip!! So she would rather be with other kids but she doesn't like the dumbing down
ReplyDeleteof the curriculum she has to deal with there. She thinks that the slower kids are treated as slower kids and so eveyone has to "wait" for them. She does wonder why everyone isn't given the same treatment? So that is my two sides of the labeling. I will defer to my daughter's opinion.
I don't feel that I have ever "dumbed down" the curriculum. I expect the same from every class, some feel that the assignment is too easy, some think it's too hard, but most of them think it's just right. Without giving them homework, I am able to work directly with those who think it's too difficult and they get more time but I don't even like the term.
ReplyDeleteFrances are we staying on until 8? Just wondering because my brother is in the hospital and I might need to go over there and be with him.
ReplyDeleteSiromani - what happened?!?
ReplyDeleteFrances,I will talk to her about it again.Maybe she was in a bad mood, ot maybe she doesnot accept any diversity in thinking.
ReplyDeleteHe has been sick for a couple of months. He has been staying at my house the last couple of days and my husband convinced him to go to the hospital. He has lost like 20 lbs, can't eat or drink. Not even water without getting really painful stomach cramps and having to go to the bathroom. They put him on an IV and gave him morphin for the pain. They are going to do a cat scan next and might need to keep him overnight. He has also been running a low grade fever for the past week.
ReplyDeleteI have an idea. let's give Sherri all those nonsense words that appear on the screen before posting comments. My last one was DRIASTRO- what a wonderful resource for kindergarteners!::)))
ReplyDeleteSorry Susan, it was my daughter's words. She really feels like teachers are missing the boat. She likes to work in groups and with different ability kids. She thinks everyone has a way to participate but teachers don't act like that. We have read about that it our books. It is a chance for everyone to work toward a strength. It does take a lot of time so we don't do it as often. What with testing, testing, and testing!!!
ReplyDeleteI know it is hard to imagine but Rachel is very opinionated. Can't think where she got that??
Siromani
ReplyDeleteYou didn't mention this last week. I am sorry to hear about it. Hope he gets a good diagnosis.
ugh! wow...hopefully they're able to figure out what's causing it and help him get better quick!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tonight was "bintardy." Do they know we are teachers. Bintardy can get you detention.LOL
ReplyDeleteYeah, I didn't realize he was so sick. He just came over Sat. night. My mom called us and asked us to go check on him, so we brought him over to our house on Sat. and found out just how sick he was.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your brother, Siromani.
ReplyDeleteSounds like he could have an ulser, which is treatable, but takes time to heal. How ols is he?
Goodnight everyone! It was great. Siromani I hope your brother get better soon!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jeni for your earlier post about the Sleeter quote: Multicultural definition is pretty basic: acknowledging and providing educational opportunities and experiences for students from diverse racial, ethnic, social-class and cultural groups. This involves understanding and being sensitive to and being receptive to a multiperspectival attitude. (Not just surface culture and understanding by celebrating Cultural Heritage Months, but a deeper understanding though their cultural lens and language.) I think the definition is not the problem but how we choose to change our teaching to become more inclusive.
ReplyDeleteAs teachers we must be willing to learn outside of what we know and are comfortable with. We must recognize that there are inequalities that our students experience in our own classrooms. You mention passion. We must have the passion and curiosity ourselves to read, talk and question to know more. For example, when I taught on a small island in the South Pacific, I immersed myself in the culture and language of the students I was teaching. I wanted to be able to let them know I respected their language enough to try to communicate in their language and not always mine (English), even though it was English I was teaching. I wanted to be able to see through their eyes, so to speak. Likewise, teaching in the Navajo Nation, I had to know the culture and tried to speak and learn Navajo. I learned the creation stories and was curious enough to read and talk to others because I wanted to be able to connect with the teachers and students instead of making it a one-way exchange. I wanted to see though Navajo eyes to understand better. So we have Latino, Navajos, African American, Asian, etc. in our schools; what do we know about these children and what THEY think and how they come to know? We ASSume the educational experience will be the same for them. This may be our first misreading. They come from cultures where they are considered a ‘minority.’ This lens affects how they perceive their world and we need to inquire and find out or at least make sure what being FAIR means to them and that it is the same as our perspective of FAIR, for example. This is the multiplicity of which I refer. We cannot always know if we do not question ourselves and our teaching to students. We must extend beyond the limits of our own cultural sensibilities. We ma never be able to appreciate the impact of social justice if first we do not identify that others read the word and world much differently than us. What are the issues our children face? Do we know other than from an obvious poverty perspective? Do we know what their values are when it comes to education, respect, community, fairness, identity and what these mean to them. This is the deeper sense of cultural diversity or multiculturalism.
This is why it is important that we understand the concept of White Privilege because we, as teachers, need to be able to read their ‘world’ through our school cultural lens also. We may be looking at the same thing, but how we see it and understand the different meanings each brings increases our efficacy as teachers.
Just some thoughts................
Thank you Frances. You made some really good points and gave me some things to think about. Thank you everyone for wishing my brother well. I will let you know what I find out. Good night.
ReplyDeleteLast call! Thank you everyone for another rich evening of online conversation and sharing.
ReplyDeleteTo be continued face to face next Monday night, Nov. 15. Dr. Sonya Burton will be joining us to talk about culturally relevant teaching. You will also meet with your reading groups, too. Should we do another dinner meeting. I will try to reserve K-Bob's group area! I will send you a confirmation email with more details.
Good Night!-)............Frances
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ReplyDeleteThinking of your brother, Siromani, with light, healing and prayers!
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