Questions to be completed by Sunday June 24th. Please number your responses.
1)
Describe your best success story with a student to this point in the
program.
2) All teachers have that student or group of students that
absolutely drives them crazy at times. Describe that student or group of
students and the actions that are getting under your skin. Next please describe
what you are doing to better the situation? Have you receive any advice or
guidance from your mentor teacher?(assuming you asked) if so then what was it
and did it work?
3) In the reading titled: "yes, But how do we do
it?" Please discuss the following:
a) Based on your reading of this
chapter, how would you define Culturally Relevant Pedagogy?
b)
Culturally Relevant pedagogy is a state of "being" and the focus should be less
on "doing." What does this mean for teachers who work with students of
color?
c) Was this article helpful or interesting to you?
4)
The Empty Desk in the Third Row
a) What thoughts went through your head
as you read the chapter?
b) What were your take aways from this
chapter?
*I am having to do a few answers per post due to the character limit.
ReplyDelete1) I had a student that was having a hard time learning his multiplication facts. I noticed from the first week that he was behind his peers more than any other student. We have been practicing them a lot and I have been trying to work with him one on one. I told him a quick way to learn his facts of 10, and he has gotten much better at those. Although he has a long way to go, I continue to see improvement. That light bulb moment, though, when I saw him understand the easy way to learn his facts of 10 was a reminder that I needed of why I want to be a teacher.
2) There were a group of girls that never stopped talking . They would talk while I was talking, while other students were talking, and in the hallways. It didn’t matter that I was giving them strikes for talking when they weren’t supposed to. To improve the situation, I assigned seats. I asked my mentor teacher what to do, and she said that assigning seats is a great idea. It worked so well that I did it for all of my classes. It didn’t solve every problem, but it has improved the classroom environment.
3 a) Culturally relevant pedagogy means preparing students to combat inequity. It is having empathy and not sympathy so that the teacher feels with the students rather for them, which connects the teacher with the students and also keeps the students on a path of striving to excel. Culturally relevant teaching also includes filling in the gaps in the curriculum so that the curriculum is culturally relevant and not just filled with ideology. It also means actively teach the lessons so that the students are engaged. Lessons need to address societal demands in addition to the context. Culturally relevant teachers also share the goals of the week and even year with their students so they know what they are doing and why they are doing it. Finally, culturally relevant pedagogy includes promoting cultural competence in the classroom. This means that the teacher helps students recognize and honor their own cultural beliefs while also learning to accept and respect those of their classmates.
Delete3 b) This means that teachers need to redirect their attitudes toward one of respect, understanding, and empathy so that there is not a gap between the teacher and students but rather a connection. Teachers need to learn more about their students and their culture. I think that culturally relevant teaching should be more of an attitude rather than a way of doing things. If the attitude is positive, then the teaching will be changed to a more positive, helpful way.
3 c) This article was helpful to me. I learned a lot about culturally relevant teaching. The author provided good examples, which helps me see the real life implications of the topics discussed in the article.
4 a) My first thought was that this is really sad, and it is really real. There are similar stories like this every day, and some right here in our area. I also thought about Mr. Simmons and how good of a teacher he is to care so much and try so hard to help his students.
Delete4 b) I thought about what I would do, what I can do to help the students that I see that are affected by drugs, alcohol, and violence in their neighborhoods each day. I know I have very little experience with these situations, but I know of one thing that I can and will do for my students- be there. They all need someone who will listen to them and take interest in what they are interested in, someone who cares. I may not be able to be more involved in their lives, but I can try to make positive impression on them, be a good role model for them, and be someone they can talk to who will listen intently and care about them.
Also, I like that the article included some questions for teachers to ask themselves so they can stay connected to their students and get to know them better. I can even ask some of the students these questions to not only find out the information, but also show them that I am trying to learn about them and to start a conversation with them. I like the point that was made about respecting the students. I try my best to have a respectful attitude to my students to try and model that behavior so they are more likely to respect each other and me. Finally, I also think the questions that teachers can ask about their curriculum to check its relevance for the students will be very helpful to me.
1. My best success story with a student in the program thus far is when I asked one of my most disruptive boys a question in class. He knew the answer but mumbled the answer without speaking clearly. I asked the question again and modeled the correct to answer a question, speaking clear enough tot be heard and understood. The student accepted my instruction very well to my surprise and has begun to answer more questions with appropriate tone. I have found that teachers assume students know how to do everything pertaining to school. We are teachers, don't assume our students know anything. Teach them everything, that';s what we are for.
ReplyDelete2. I have a couple of students who don't participate in class. I began by asking them questions, when they don't answer I move to another student. Although they don't answer, I ask them a question each day. These students have begun to expect a question and have begun to participate in class.
3. Culturally Relevant Pedagogy is a teachers ability to deconstruct, construct, and reconstruct the curriculum in a way to reach all students regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status or any other disadvantage.
B. The author states that the first problem teachers confront is believing that successful teaching for poor students of color is about "what to do." Instead of the specific lessons and activities that we select to fill the day, we must begin to understand the ways our theories and philosophies are made and the rationale we use with students in our classroom.
C. This article was very interesting as it discussed challenges faced by minority students of color and the challenges faced by them at school and at home.
4. The thoughts that went through my head was this could be one of my students. I thought of a child living this nightmare and trying to be a child. This young person grew up too fast and died too soon. It happens to school children each day and teachers should know it can happen. I tell my students they can tell me anything, and if they don't want to talk write it on paper and put it on my desk, I will read it and act.
B. M,y take always from this chapter is to listen to my students and recognize when they act different. Notice when there are behavior changes, be open and honest with your students. They have to know we are there for them and willing to help.
1. I have a student who rarely wants to participate in class. Even though he sits up front, he tends to zone out and not pay attention what I am teaching. At first, I just thought that he just really doesn't care about being here, but then I realized that he might not understand what it is I want from him. So I began to work with him one on one and show him what it is that we are doing in class. After I showed him what to do, he knew exactly what was expected of him and stayed on tasked with the rest of the class.
ReplyDelete2. I have a student in my homeroom class that wants to do the exact opposite of what he is instructed to do. He is smart and knows how to aggravate his teachers. One time, we were in line to go to P.E. and I told him to tie his shoes, he took his sweet time to tie his shoes, holding up the rest of the class. Another time, I told him he might have to miss the movie, if he continues to be not cooperate with what the teacher asks him to do. I told him he would be writing sentences instead or copying a chapter book. His response was "Yeah, I don´t want to see the movie any way, I like writing sentences." I didn't know how to respond. I've learned that this type of behavior seems to be for attention. He used to love to be at end of the line and take his sweet time going to P.E. so I put him second in line, behind the line leader. He always walks with me now. At first he was resistant, but then I asked him if he wants me to call his mom, he shapes up after that. He sits up front in class and seems to participate more now. The first week of school, he kept telling me that he was mad at me because he was sent to Mrs. Jackson for his negative behavior. I haven´t received advice from my mentor teacher, but I will ask this week.
3.a. Culturally relevant pedagogy is teaching that prepares all students to become lifelong successful and responsible citizens. It is teaching, that is relative to their surrounding circumstances. Culturally relevant teachers don't merely teach the content to students, but make it meaningful them. The article discussed where if teaching Romeo and Juliet is part of the curriculum, their could be a class discussion on teen suicide and ways of getting help. Students need to be able to connect or relate to the content. That is when learning is meaningful.
b.Culturally relevant teachers need to be constantly analyzing and reflecting on their teaching strategies to see if what they are doing is working. Remember we are not just responsible for our students when we have them in our classroom, but also five or more years down the road. Being culturally relevant is a mindset, so we need to change our mindset so that our students can see learning as fun and meaningful.
c.This chapter was very helpful, I read this chapter before I was in the classroom, so I didn't take away alot from it at first. When I read it the second time, it was more meaningful, because as I read, students came to mind and I thought some of the strategies I was using need to change.
4.a. My first thoughts were that I know that there are some students that enter my classroom who have or perhaps will experience something like this. What is hard for me to understand is why students feel like this is lifestyle they have to take. Why do they feel the need to hustle to get by. I know for us the response seems easy "Dont do it". But for many, Its all they know, they dont know how to change.
b. What I took away from this chapter was what can I do to help guide my students into making positive choices for their life? What I noticed with Mr. Simmons is that he tried to have a personal relationship with Jason. He used Youth slang to connect with his students. He genuinely cared about Jason! He identified with Jason, because he had a similar past. I want my students to feel like they can trust me and tell me anything. I want to listen and be attentive to the needs of each student and I want them to know that they are valued.
1.) My best success story has involved a child in my last class of the day. The first day of the program, he shut down. He did not want to participate in any of the activities and did not care to talk to any of the students. He seemed to be very nervous, so I pulled him aside and explained that I would not try to pressure him to participate, that he could just sit there if he did not want to play the game we were playing. The next day, he came in seeminly happy. He agreed to do the activity we were doing and talked to some of the other students. I praised him and told him how happy I was that he decided to join us. He participates every class, now!
ReplyDelete2.) My last class of the day does sometimes push their limits with me. It is my largest class, and they are very talkative at the end of the day. It is not uncontrollable, however. Sometimes we do not get as far as some of the other classes, though. I have decided to reward the ones who are behaving and on task. The others see the reward and wish to receive it, too. When I first began doing this, the class period was very smooth, and the students stayed on task.
3.) a. Culturally relevant pedagogy includes teaching that is relevant to the specific culture. It includes preparing students for inequity, but not feeling sorry for them. It also includes teaching through real life circumstances. Finally, it also includes setting high, but achievable and realistic standards for children.
b. This means that the teacher is constantly thinking about and analyzing his or her teaching methods. It also means that she is understanding and empathetic and tries to bridge the gap between their cultural differences.
c. I found the article to be very interesting. Sometimes with teaching its easy to forget that you teach a diverse population. It's easy to forget and expect all students to have the same lifestyle, culture, and experiences that you have. The article was definitely interesting and made me think about instruction and curriculum from more of a cultural view.
4.) a. I was very interested in this story because I have such a different background. I'm from a rural, small town, and I live in a dry county. The challenges I faced growing up were very different from the experiences described in the article, so it was very intriguing to me. I first thought it was sad, but very realistic. I almost don't want to believe there are children who are faced with experiences with drugs and alcohol, but I know there are many who do.
b. After reading this chapter, I felt like teachers have an even more important purpose than just teaching the curriculum. I want to be that teacher who helps students make positive decisions in their own personal lives. I want to be sure to get to know ALL of my students and do absolutely everything in my power to make sure they have the knowledge to make proper decisions as well as support from at least myself. This article was VERY moving.
1. I have a student in my third period class who sits right up front, clings to every word I say, and still does not understand when I give directions. My biggest success happens every day when I talk with him one on one. Every day, I give directions on what we are doing and most students grab that information and run with it. This student, however, needs extra help. I learned after the first few days of school that he needed to be shown how to do things before he understood or he would ask a million questions and never get it done. He is a bright young man and usually comes out doing the best work possible, but needs a little extra boost. I learned that every student is different through him and really understand now that knowing what your students need will help them tremendously.
ReplyDelete2. I have a particular problem with my second period class. The students in that class together are very talkative, out of their seats constantly, and always arguing. I sometimes find myself relieved when the period is over just because it takes so much to keep them in control. I made a behavior chart for my room. It is in the shape of a guitar and everyone starts on green. You can move up twice or down twice and once you moved down, you may redeem yourself and move up. I found in this class, they like to their names on the chart in the green. If I move it down that student immediately calms and wants to be back in the green. They know if they move up enough they will get a prize, so every student is striving to get to red. I also have assigned seats in this class with people separated. Knowing who to separate is a magical thing in this class. The arguing has slowed, the chatting has softened, and they are more attentive. I told my mentor teacher about the problems I was having in this class. She came one day to see what she could do and to give me advice. She told me to be stern and not let them come in crazy. We have a new policy where we stay in line until we get all materials and that has calmed down a lot of craziness in my room. She sat through the class for a little while, but that was the one day they were on their best behavior. They probably were because I taught them how to act when another adult walks in the room, but after the advice she gave me things have been better each day.
3. a.) Culturally relevant pedagogy is a way of teaching that stays with the student throughout their education. Being about to be there for them not just in the classroom is a great way to keep up their confidence and knowledge about the world. Changing the curriculum from what is given to you into your own to reach every student is something that culturally relevant teachers need to know how to do. Every student is different and when you are teaching poor students of color, like it said in the article, they sometimes use school as an economic or social way of living and getting through. As long as you stay with them and are the best teacher you can be, not only going through the motions, the students should succeed exceptionally.
ReplyDeleteb.) It means that it isn’t always about what you are doing in the classroom. It is changing it up to make it more for them, being there for them outside the classroom, relating things to their lives. It is giving them respect and getting it in return. It is showing you care for them to just do the right thing, that they do the right thing. It is being their mentor and friend and letting them know about the important things in life. It is staying positive and never giving up.
c.) It was interesting and helpful in ways. I think whenever you are reading about another person’s opinion on teaching it always gets you thinking. I know I have a lot left to learn and took a few cool tips from this article. The author was great at giving spot on examples and made it interesting to read.
4. a.) My first thought was how it made me smile. The author talking about his students and especially Jason like they were his own. I loved the way he wrote like they talked saying the way he talked was rhyme like and beautiful. I read on feeling sad about how they lived and where they were. I wanted to cry for Jason about being caught up in the things he was around. I loved how he talked to the teacher, he trusted the teacher, he loved the teacher. The teacher, I think, gave Jason hope. As I read, my heart sank, because I knew where it was headed. When Mr. Simmons said that the desk was empty, I knew Jason was gone. It is a sad thing for a young person to be taken so violently. Being wrapped up in something so terrible isn’t good for anyone. I feel sympathy for the woman who was his mother knowing she was dying inside. He was trying to get out and had better things in mind for himself and his family. Jason was going places. It is a shame he never got the chance.
b.) I took away you have to be there for every student you can. Jason was getting better and doing things right and knew he could do things. The teacher gave him hope. That is what all teachers should do: instill hope. I thought about how I could change a student’s outlook on life who is around drugs and alcohol. Sometimes kids need a little encouragement to know they can do something greater. I would like to be a role model for students like Jason. I know Mr. Simmons was probably his. This article was like a poem to me beautifully written to tell Jason’s sad story. The really awesome part was it giving references at the end to help in situations like this.
1. My greatest success with a student in the program so far happened this week. During math we were learning how to expand numbers. Throughout the lesson I had one student who was struggling with the concept. I was concerned that she was unable to understand how to do the problems and I was unsure of how to get her to understand. After going over a few problems I realized a different way to look at the number and be able to extend it. After I showed a different way to do it, she sat up and took a deep breath and said OH! I could see the "click", like I get it! It literally gave me chills and I was so excited to see that moment when it just all came together for her.
ReplyDelete2. I have a class of 13 students 2 of them only boys, so I have lots of girls who like to talk. There are two who really like to talk. My points system is only working so much. I have seperated them and they continued to talk across the room, so I added more distance and they also can not walk in line next to one another. That helped significantly. I have not asked for any advice from my mentor teacher. I am hoping the new move will help the situation this coming week.
3a. Culturally relevant pedagogy is the ability to break apart, build, and rebuild curriculum to fit their students. It is continuous. You have to adjust the neutral ideal to what fits the students in your classroom and address the child as a whole. Not only in the curriculum, but across a childs life that can lead them to a successful future.
b. Culturally Relevant pedagogy is a state of "being" and the focus should be less on "doing." The "being" is you addessing everything a a whole, not working on "doing" what you are the ideal goal is. It is the focus on the students for thier success, not doing something to make you (the teacher) feel better, but what improves the lives of the students.
c. This article was interesting to me. I think that teacher get lost in the "doing" and forget about or do not know the "being".
4.While reading The Empty Desk In The Third Row, my thoughts were how can a white woman make a connection with a young African American male in the same way a black man can. This tescher was able to connect eith this student because of his similarities with his student. I feel know that this type of connection can certainly be made, but with more effort and knowledge from the teacher. I feel that this is where a culturally relevant teacher, no matter male/female, black/white can make a connection with a student and be that person who helps the path to success. This story also made me cry because Jason opened up, but was still destroyed by the streets.
4b. I took away the importance of practicing culturally relevant pedagogy. Even when there are times that you feel like you have failed, you still keep trying. You reach out to the next Jason because the world is full of Jasons...
1.) I think my success story is with all my students. In science, especially AMSTI, it is free exploration. The students think out loud while I probe their thoughts. They give me concepts or explanations and I try to keep pushing until they eventually can see the answer and theory right in front of them. Last week was my first week instilling the AMSTI and it was fabulous. We tested different variables (which they figured out on their own) then made graphs where they came to their conclusion. Getting students to explain their thinking is the hardest part, but when they are able to put it in words out loud, that’s a success.
ReplyDelete2) For me, and the rest of my team, it is specifically one group of students. It is my homeroom to be exact. They are constantly talking when told not to and their personalities don’t mesh well sometimes. In every class we have a few “trouble” students, but this is majority of the class. For one I have learned that I am being “too nice”. I thought that since it was a summer program I shouldn’t be too harsh, but my mentor teacher made me see that I deserve their respect. On my team we have a point system and if they reach a certain number by Thursday, then they can’t participate in whatever fun day we are having. We are going to start using it consistenty so the kids see that they have to abide by the rules. This program is a learning experience for me as well.
3) a. Culturally relevant pedagogy is teaching instruction related to the culture. It means to teach kids and prepare them for unfairness but not pity them. We must teach them through real scenarios. We must set high expectations for students.
b. We must always reflect on how we teach. We must be understanding and concerned, with empathy, and teach them. We must not let their cultural differences get in the way and we should bridge them in a positive manner.
c. I have actually read it before in my diversity class at South and found it very interesting. We always discussed the three components of cultural competence. We are all different, and we should recognize that and use it as a teaching moment.
4) a. Reading this article is definitely sad, but it really happens everywhere. It’s hard to grasp why someone would do this, but as teachers we should always be aware of what could be going on with our students.
b) I have always wanted to be the best teacher I can be. I want my students to care for each other and be comfortable and feel safe at school. I want to be a positive light for those students that need it.
1. I had a hard time deciding how I wanted to answer this question. I think my biggest success thus far in the program has been with one particular little boy. At the beginning of the program I noticed that he scored lower than all of the other students on his tests and seemed to be a little behind. He wouldn't really talk and was shy to even participate. Now, he is always raising his hand and wants me to hear what he has to say. He doesn't always give the right answer but we work through it and he gets the right answer!
ReplyDelete2. For me, this student is one who is just a little disruptive. He really isn't a bad student. He just calls out, doesn't raise his hand and will ask the most random questions at completely inappropriate times. I am constantly having to redirect him and keep him on task. I have seen some improvement this past week. During group time I placed him with a particular girl I knew I could count on to keep him on task. I hope we continue to see improvement during this upcoming week.
3a) Culturally relevant pedagody means making the curriculum releavnt to all students not just to one particular group. It means answering the question, "Why are we doing thi?" with more than just "Because you have to." or "You will use it later in life." It also means making students not only aware , but proud of their own heritage. Culturally releavnt pedagody entails preparing students to be sucessful beyond the walls of the classroom.
3b) To be a culturally relevant teacher means being culturally relevant in your own life. It doesn't mean claiming 'not to notice the color of your students' skin' or feeling sorry for them. Instead it means making it your personal goal to make everything you teach relevant to every student you teach and making each student as successful as possible.
3c) I had read this before in Dr. Juarez's class. I did take a little more from it now because I am actually able to apply it to what I am currently doing. I think it definitely makes you think about whether what you are doing is culturally relevant or not.
4a) When I first started reading this I was like "Oh! That's how I want to be! I want to feel that way about my students and I want them to feel comfortable with me." Then I continued to read and I was so sad because this is so true. I am from a very rural area and things that many inner city kids have to deal with just weren't issues in my life. But this made me very aware that this could be one of my own students.
4B) I want to make it clear to my students that they can come to me in confidence with anything. Even if they don't feel comfortable talking about it they can leave me an anonymous note or anything to just let me know what is going on.
1) There is a student that started out with a major attitude of not wanting to be in the program. I have watched her over the last couple of weeks and found out that she is bored. I have started to come up with things just for her so that she isn't bored. I give her roles that make her feel important, like helping a student who is struggling in math, or giving encouragement to a student that doesn't receive it often. Now she is following the rules that I have for my classroom and even tries to get the other students to try and follow the rules as well. She is a brilliant student and she was only acting out because she was bored.
ReplyDelete2) There is a student that I always talks. He doesn't participate in class activities and he doesn't follow the rules. What bothers me is that he ignores any request I make, even when I give him compliments he rolls his eyes and has a smug look on his face. He never looks at me during instruction and thinks getting in trouble is funny. It's almost like there is no remorse. It doesn't bother him when he sits out of fun activities. He has sat out, the last two weeks of fun Thursday and I haven't found anything to motivate him. I have tried to talk to him separately and get him to help me show the other students how to act. My mentor teacher just told me to start writing him up, since nothing else has worked. I need to show him that his disrespect will not be tolerated in my classroom.
3)
a) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy is just a way of taking curriculum and sculpting it in a way that students in certain cultures will understand. Teachers need to take the knowledge that students need to learn and make it useful and relevant to their lives. Show the students why this knowledge is important in their life. It's preparing them to be successful in the real world.
b) Students don't care what you do in the classroom, they care about how you make them feel. Teachers need to be empathic with issues students of color face. Teachers need to show the students that they are not alone with the issues they face. Teachers need to show the students that they use the information they teach in their daily lives as well. Stop trying to teach at them "doing" and teach with them "being." Students can tell the difference because they can FEEL the difference.
c) This article was interesting but really it just confirmed how I feel about schools in the more urban areas. You have to go above and beyond the book to reach students. You have to know your students before you can change them for the better.
4)
a) It's sad! I kept thinking of a student I tutored, whose dad killed his mom while she was at work a couple of years back. It reminded me of how I impacted his life but didn't know how to reach him during his time of need because he had moved. It must have been hard for Mr. Simmons to know that he had changed a students life only to have it stolen by someone else.
b) It is important to know your students!! We all have stories to tell and lives we experience. The students only want us to show them that their story is important to us. One teacher can make a difference. It only takes one teacher full of passion and charisma willing to do whatever it takes to impact a student's life. This article motivated me to continue to be real with my students. It is crucial to know what is important to the students and what makes them tick. I want them to feel comfortable to share their problems and successes with me. I want them to feel that their life is important to me, because it is! I learn just as much from them as they do from me, if not more.
1. A success story I have had so far this summer is with one student who has had a poor attitude from day one but who has finally start to come around with us. This student does the complete opposite of what is asked and tries to cause interruptions in class on purpose. This went on the first full week, so finally we started making this student have more responsibilities in class. We made him the line leader and told him that everybody was following his actions. Although this did not seem to matter to him at first, he started to come around by the end of the week. Also, a big part of the issue was him not wanting to do anything; however, when we went to watch the movie, he was the first one to laugh at every funny part, zone in the entire time, and discussed the movie with me. This was the first time I had seen him really smile or laugh. It was too sweet because after our discussion of the movie (what we liked, didn't like, etc.) he did anything I asked him. It is like I earned his respect.
ReplyDelete2. I really do not have any group of students that get under my skin; however the only situation that has been difficult is the student mentioned in question 1. Again, this student tries to interrupt class by doing the opposite of what is asked, which has been a daily thing, but the last day of the first week, he started to come around with me. Katie and I started making him have responsibilities in class, which started helping him move in the right direction. Hopefully this will continue to work, and if not, then we will have to ask our mentors for their advice.
1)My best success story at this point has to do with getting two students to work together. One male student, a trouble maker and a female student who likes to be in charge. They were assigned as partners to create a circuit, decorate the box to hold the parts and work together. Neither of them were happy and both threw a fit. I was about to switch partners to end the issue but instead decided they needed to work this out. There was arguing, snatching, and attitude. After each of them asked to switch partners a couple times and being denied they slowly began to work together. At the end of day one they were working together but not talking. Beginning of day two they fought again, I told them once again I am not switching partners and slowly they realized they had no other option. The male student is causing less trouble and the bossy female student is learning to cooperate with peers.
ReplyDelete2) I have one female student who is in my third period class. She is very bright. She is advanced than most of the other students but lacking socially. She talks, boy does she talk. She is so inquisitive and has a question about everything. My biggest struggle with her is getting her to stop talking, staying in her seat and not annoying the other students. It is not uncommon for her to get up in the middle of my lesson, walk up to me and ask a question about something completely off topic. My first way of dealing with her was finding the right seat, at a table with three students instead of four. She sits next to a very well behaved quiet student and one male student. They don't bite her bait most of the time and are calm enough to deal with her when she begins to annoy. Second step, getting her to stay in her seat... I am still working on that but I have found giving her a job so she can walk around the room is very rewarding for her.
3)
a) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy- I would define this term as taking time to research, experience and understand the community, home, and background of the students you are teaching. The article stated that teachers need to think about teaching. That is true, how am I going to get a young child dealing with a horrible home life to understand why knowing about solving equations is important. I need to think about teaching. I also think this term is important because teachers need to see every student as an opportunity and full of potential. Not just cash out on the ones who have checked out before they enter the classroom.
b) Culturally Relevant pedagogy is a state of "being" and the focus should be less on "doing." What does this mean for teachers who work with students of color?
Teachers need to think before they do a lesson. Think hard, think long and find a way to relate it to your students. Students of color and from inner city are most likely being educated by a teacher who has had a very different upbringing. There is a disconnect and teachers need to find a way around the disconnect between backgrounds and great strides can be made in the classroom. Teachers need to educate in many ways, character building is one of those ways.
c) This article was helpful and interesting. I live in a bubble and can always use a reality check. It is far too easy to forget to take time to appreciate each student and truly know their needs when they are in your classroom. Teachers are often times the only source of consistency in a colored students life and we need to always be aware of the influence we have.
Delete4) The Empty Desk in the Third Row
a) This experience can happen to any teacher working with inner city colored students. And even in any school, though more likely in some. This made me realize how valuable our time is with our students and the effort we have to put in to give them structure, love, discipline and much much more.
b) I have taken away a heavy heart at the thought of how common this situation is. I have also taken away a new fire in me to be the best teacher I can and make a difference. I need to educate myself each day as well as my students.
c) This article was helpful and interesting. I live in a bubble and can always use a reality check. It is far too easy to forget to take time to appreciate each student and truly know their needs when they are in your classroom. Teachers are often times the only source of consistency in a colored students life and we need to always be aware of the influence we have.
ReplyDelete4) The Empty Desk in the Third Row
a) This experience can happen to any teacher working with inner city colored students. And even in any school, though more likely in some. This made me realize how valuable our time is with our students and the effort we have to put in to give them structure, love, discipline and much much more.
b) I have taken away a heavy heart at the thought of how common this situation is. I have also taken away a new fire in me to be the best teacher I can and make a difference. I need to educate myself each day as well as my students.
1) Last Thursday I was very nervous about my lesson plan. I wondered if my students would really get the connection between what they were doing and the skill I was trying to teach them or if they would just see it as a really fun activity, but not learn from it. That week we had learned the 5 elements of a story and were talking specifically about plot. The students were to build model roller coasters and document the series of events that led to their final products in order to better understand that plots are a series of events in a logical order. One student who I often have trouble with and needs instructions explained several times asked me to help her with the recording. Once I explained it a second time she said "Oh, so a plot is just a series of events, we are creating events and writing them down, so we are writing a story about what we are doing! I get it!". She did a beautiful job of recording her group's efforts and I was really proud of her.
ReplyDelete2) I have been struggling with my third block class. I have them for the longest period of time and take them to lunch. For most of the class period I have very little trouble with them, but since we usually start activities one day and finish them the next I often have to ask them to stop what they are doing and put it away for the next day. They simply would not stop. They would not put away their materials or line up to go to their next class. Last week I told students 5 minutes prior to the end of the period that I would be handing out reward to those whose desks were cleared and ready to move to the next class. Magically my room was cleaned and my students were sitting nicely in their cleared desks. We also had trouble with transitions. To improve this I accepted that I would have to give up a portion of my time to have them practice lining up. We lined up and if someone talked we sat down, we walked down the hall and if someone talked we turned around and did it again. We repeated each step until students understood exactly what I would and would not accept.
3) In the reading titled: "yes, But how do we do it?" Please discuss the following:
ReplyDeletea) Culturally Relveant Pedagogy is taking your knowledge of the world and applying it to your teaching. However, one must intentionally make themselves aware of the world as it applies to their students. We must realize as educators what challenges our students are going to encounter and what skills they will need to overcome those challenges. We must make it our goal to see our students for their potential and not to simply make excuses for them or expect less from them because of their struggles. We need to be a part of the community in which we teach and be aware of how the curriculum and our culture is often biased.
b) Culturally Relevant pedagogy is a state of "being" and the focus should be less on "doing." What does this mean for teachers who work with students of color?
I think that as teachers in general we are in a state of being and not of doing. I am a teacher in that I view the world as a teacher. I consider how things I see and hear might affect my students or how it could benefit them. I think this thinking can be extended in order to be an effective teacher of students of color. There is no particular curriculum or teaching strategy that we must learn and practice. Instead we must view the world as educators of a diverse student population. We must make it our business to attend to matters of discrimination. It is imperative that we become intimately aware of the dynamics of the community from which our students come. Most importantly, in my opinion, was the statement in the chapter that we shift our view of our students from sympathy to informed empathy. We must view our students as they are with their strengths and their struggles if we are to develop a method of teaching that will reach them and in turn create a better community.
c) I found this article to be incredibly interesting. I am very interested in critical theory and this article built on the ideas and ideals I had formed in my study of the writings of Jonathan Kozol and Rafe Esquith. I found this approach to the idea of culturally relevant learning particularly interesting. I have often struggled with the same feeling of wanting someone to tell me how to practice critical theory or culturally relevant teaching. This has helped me to understand that I must always strive to come to a clearer understanding of the plight of my students and the true nature of the world as it evolves.
4) The Empty Desk in the Third Row
ReplyDeletea) I'm teaching my students about metacognition during these few weeks of the summer program and it has changed the way I read. I am constantly thinking about reading strategies that had once been unnoticed. Like when you suddenly become aware of your breathing. As I read this passage I was ticking off boxes on a list: predicting, questioning, making connections. The thought that kept returning was that I feel inadequate. I want to be able to reach all of my students and in particular I want to teach in a diverse area and truly be a culturally relevant educator, but this chapter made me fell like I needed to live this life to understand it or my students. I could predict why that chair would be empty by the end of the chapter, but not what might be done to prevent it. I was racing through the text asking it to tell me to enlighten me on how to prevent such things.
b) What were your take aways from this chapter? The last section of the chapter in which the author gives advice for connecting with students is something that I read over several times. I try to be educated about my community and where students come from. I think that I am informed on what they are up against in this world. But really I know that I am naive and inexperienced in so much of what is needed to really make a connection with my students and help them rise above their situations. How can I begin to respect who my students are if I don't understand who they are or what they are dealing with? I think what I can take away from this chapter more than anything is that I have a lot of work to do.
1) From the very beginning of the program, there has been one student who would constantly talk out of turn. She would shout out answers, thoughts, opinions, etc. It did not matter if I’d even asked a question or if someone else in the room was talking, if she had something to say, she was going to say it. At the beginning, I would let her get away with it but then I realized that that was unfair to her classmates and to myself. She needed to follow procedures like everyone else and I needed to enforce that. From that point on, if this particular child spoke out of turn I would stop her immediately and ask her what she was forgetting to do. Once she raised her hand and waited patiently, I would say “Thank you for raising your hand, what would you like to say?” After a few class meetings of doing this and positively reinforcing the behavior, I very rarely have a problem with her yelling out. It is so rewarding to see this change in behavior and it has definitely been evidence of the perks of positive reinforcement.
ReplyDelete2) There is a student who constantly cuts up during class and acts uninterested in any activity I try to do with my class. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Smart Board activity, an art activity, or a simple bell ringer, I can almost always expect for this student to brush off the activity and make jokes with his neighbors. This past week, I decided to change up activities. Not just with this particular student, but with all of my classes. At the advice of my mentor teacher, I started reevaluating my lessons and activities and asking myself “What is every child going to be responsible for during the activities?” I needed to start making sure no child (and especially the more troublesome ones) was sitting down with idle time. One example of this would be with my Readers’ Theater activity. When assigning parts in the play, I made sure this child in particular got an active role. Just by giving this child this responsibility and making him accountable for a significant portion of the day’s lessons, I saw a completely different child. He was MUCH more attentive and I had zero problems with the child for the entire fifty minute class period. Just spending that extra time during lesson and activity planning has made all the difference in my classroom environment. Classroom management has definitely improved across the board.
3) A. Culturally relevant pedagogy means teaching students in a way that it is relevant to them and their culture. It is a way to prepare students for situations that are not always going to be fair or just but the teacher does not necessarily feel sorry for them. It is a more well rounded approach to instruction that meets every aspect of the child’s being; not just their academic needs.
ReplyDeleteB. Teachers should focus less on just being a person who delivers academic content to a group of individuals and focus more on being a leader to his/her students. While teaching students the academic materials is extremely significant, it will have a much more lasting effect and be more widely received by students if it is done so by a caring and empathetic teacher. Teachers should get to know each individual child and create a positive and empathetic environment for children to learn and grow in.
C. This chapter was very interesting to me. Often times it is hard to find material that will present issues upfront and provide meaningful tips on how to handle situations that we may not be 100% familiar with. It really reminded me that recognizing the uniqueness of each child is an extremely important job of any classroom teacher.
4) A. While I was reading this chapter, there was definitely a sense of sadness. I was brought up in such a different environment from this and it just reminds you that not everyone had the same chances and opportunities that some of us did.
B. After reading this chapter, I am even more aware of my responsibilities as a teacher. When I was starting the education program at South, I wasn’t entirely sure that I was doing what I was called to be doing. I had always pictured myself being a counselor and not necessarily in the school setting. However, through my field experience and reading chapters like this, I realize that even though I will be a classroom teacher, I will still have many opportunities to be a supportive and guiding figure in each child’s life beyond the role of a teacher.
1. Well I would say that my success story has been with one girl in my second period class. She came in the first day with an attitude and did not seem to want to do any work. She also seemed like she wasn't sure about how I was going to react to her or what kind of teacher I was going to be. I also had the student in CASE that afternoon, I had the girls to write their name and decorate it and tell on the back what they liked about their name. She did not want to do it, I asked her why and she said she hated her name. So I told her that I thought her name was beautiful and unique. I told her I loved it because I had never heard that name before. Now she is one of the most studious students in my class.
ReplyDelete2. I do have one class in particular that is a bad mixture of personalities. Too many clash in that one class. A lot of the students have very aggressive personalities and there is a lot of name calling and just talking constantly. It absolutely drives me crazy for a group of students talking while I am talking giving instruction. So I asked my mentor teacher about it, she told me to just stop talking while the students were talking and tell them that I was not going to talk over them and that we could just sit there and not do any experiments until they could stop talking. It has worked very well, a few students will do all the work for me when I stop talking, they tell the students to stop talking.
3a) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy is changing a curriculum so that it better serves the students that you teaching. Making the curriculum that you are teaching relevant to the majority of your students. Thinking about their culture and backgrounds.
3b)I think the statement of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy being state of "being" and not of "doing" means to practice what you teach. Don't just tell the students about what they could do, you should be doing it and being an example. I also means to show them that you have similarities, you are not beneath them. We all have struggles and hard times.
3c)This article was helpful and interesting. I think I could definitely apply it to what I am doing right now with the 5th graders. I would love to try to add some real life relevance to the science that I am teaching these 5th graders.
4a)As I read the chapter I was thinking that the most important thing that I want my students to learn from me is that they are important. I want them to know that I care about them and that I believe in them. It was also sad but is so very true in the lives of most of these students.
4b)We never know what may happen so from the get go these students need to know that we care for them and that we are here to help them succeed.
1.My best success story is when one of my students came into the program a couple of days late and she was shy, didn’t know anyone, just wanted to go home. During the first week, she would say that her stomach was hurting and she wanted to call her mom so that she could go home. I would always convince her to stay and that everything would get better. This week, I have really seen her face light up and not one time has she said she was sick or wanted to go home which means she is enjoying herself in the program now.
ReplyDelete2. I have a student in my class that I have to constantly redirect his actions. He is not at all “bad”; he is just very hyperactive. He has a very short attention span and has a hard time following directions and staying in his seat. I tend to be a little lenient when it comes to disciplining him because I know sometimes he just can’t help it. I always try to pull him to the side and talk to him and explain why what he did was not a good choice. I happened to be talking about this student at the dinner last week and the Mrs. Mary D. suggested that when she used to have students like that she would duct tape an area (such as a square) around his desk and he would be able to get out of his desk as much as he wanted but he would not be allowed to leave the taped area. Because we only have three weeks left in the program, I probably won’t do that. However, I will think about maybe doing something like this in the future.
3. a. Culturally relevant pedagogy is being able to deconstruct, construct, and reconstruct the curriculum by incorporating student cultures as a way of learning. Whether it is through academic achievement, cultural competence, or sociopolitical consciousness.
b. This means that teachers should be themselves and focus on, observe, and reflect some of the things that are going on in the classroom as well as the students’ community. The doing part will come as we are being ourselves and reflecting on how we are culturally different from our students.
c. This article was interesting to me because it has a lot of helpful information in it and it could be used as a great reference article for me to turn to.
4. a. As I was reading this article, I was pleased to see how this teacher made a positive impact in this student’s life. I was heartbroken after seeing that this student was getting on the right path, and then all of a sudden his dream was taken away from him by a senseless act. This happen too many times in our community as well.
b. Something I took away from this chapter was that as a teacher, we should never give up on our students. Although sometimes it will be hard and sometimes negative things get in your way, we should always try our hardest to make that difference in each and every student’s life.
1. I've had a few really inspiring success stories in the program so far. The first that comes to mind is a student that originally seemed unenthusiastic to be in my room. I could tell right away that he didn't consider science to be his "thing". After a few days of encouragement, he eventually started to come around and join into experiments and discussions. Last week, I made him the captain of his cooperative learning group. He took charge and did an excellent job. He is now very enthusiastic and seems to love coming in my room.
ReplyDelete2. I have a few girls in my 5th period class that also stay with me for CASE. They all go to the same school, and as you could guess, they like to talk. I support group discussion in my science class and enjoy sharing our thoughts in CASE. However, there is a time and a place for talking. I began by seperating them. When that didn't work, I gave them verbal warnings. Finally, and what worked the best, is I pulled each girl aside to talk to me. I explained to them what they were doing wrong and what I expected of them in my room. I gave them time to share how they felt. They made commitments to me to do their best in my room, and I have had no problems from them since.
3. a. Culturally relevant pedagogy means teaching the student as a whole, not just by a predetermined idea of race of social placement. It involves being culturally relevant and using lessons a tool to wrap students in a world of higher order thought. It also includes knowing who the students are before and after they enter the room, as well as who they could be for the rest of their lives.
b. This means that teachers of color should focus less on what works in a textbook, and more on making their instruction work for the students. Culturally relevant pedagogy requires that a teacher step back from the traditional, force feed information download that students were given in the past. The teacher must be an example for motivating and understanding students to be the best they can be, without hindering them because of where they come from or what color their skin is.
c. I found this article both helpful and interesting. It put a lot of my personal education into perspective and forced me to reflect on my ideas as a future educator. I enjoyed reading it and hope to be able to be an example of a culturally relevant teacher.
4. a. The first thing that went through my head was that this type of thing happens far to often. As teachers, we have the ability to make such an impact and such a difference on the lives of our students. Many of our students come from backgrounds and cultures that raised them to place little importance on education. I was happy to see the involvement this teacher gave Jason, however, it was tragic to see it come to an end.
b. I took away that I want to look at each student as a unique opportunity. I will hopefully be given the chance to come into and effect the lives of hundreds of children. I want to remind myself everyday the impact I can have and the responsibility that is placed in my hands.
1) My best success story is with who is completely shy and does not say anything even if you are asking her a question. She just gives you a blank stare. My breakthrough was when I actually heard her talking about what she is supposed to be doing in her group. She is still shy but as least I know that she understands and can interact with her group members. Once I heard her talk, I was asking her more questions about the group just to keep her talking, engaged and interacting with me and the other students.
ReplyDelete2) The group of students that are somewhat getting to me is my last class of the day. They talk too much, argue with each other, and do not know how to share. I feel like I am constantly monitoring noise level in this class and breaking up mini arguments between the students for not sharing when they are working in groups. I have actually had to enforce my consequences in this class. What I am doing is marking students who are giving me trouble or not following the rules and I mark them on my behavior chart. If the student(s) get so many of these marks, they begin to lost their privileges such as Fun Thursday.
3a) I would define culturally relevant pedagogy as teaching that is meaningful to all cultures. The teacher does not teach to one but all of her students. There are going to be many different views in the classroom. Education now is multicultural. Teachers have to be ready to have an open mind and a positive attitude about teaching. Teachers have to want the best possible outcome for all of the students. The article states that teaching does not only take place in the classroom but also in the community and schools.
b) This means that teachers are going to have to do what they are supposed to do; which is, teaching. Teaching is a huge responsibility and classrooms are filled with impressionable minds from different backgrounds and races. It is up to the teacher to connect with all of her students no matter the background and make sure that the information that is being taught is relevant to the students and their lives. It has to be a text to self connection.
c) Yes, this article was helpful because it allows teachers to think of the many aspects of teaching students. Learning takes place everywhere not just in the classroom. Teachers and students can come together to share information that was learned in the community. This article can also be used as a reference to look back on when you are having trouble connecting to the students with different races, backgrounds, and ethnicity.
4a) My thoughts while reading this chapter is that are so true. Students come to school and sometimes teachers are unaware of the problems and situations that they deal with at home. The situation of Jason in this chapter is very unfortunate but it also very real for students, teachers, and families.
b) What am taking away from this chapter is that we need to ask more questions about our students, talk to our students and find out more about their home and community life.
1. Thus far, I feel like I have had an impact on just about all of my students. It is easy to tell that they are fresh out of elementary school and the fact that they are going to be middle schoolers has not quite sunk in yet. So I feel that I have been able to acclimate them somewhat to the expectations, situations, and atmosphere of being in middle school. They will not be the rulers of the school; they will be at the bottom. Also, they will not have the luxury of walking on the blue line in silence to and from places. They will get to experience freedom and responsibility. Now I do feel that I have had the success of reaching one male student who desperately sought out my attention, as all do on a daily basis. He was still engrained in the habit of shouting out answers and at me. I calmly told him that I will not tolerate his outbursts, even though that is his style, his personality, and his embodiment of school. By telling him that if he wants to answer or ask a question, he needs to only raise his hand and not shout out anything. He immediately understood what I was getting across to him and with constant reinforcement with him and with all of his classmates to constantly remind them that if they want to respond they only need to raise their hand. That I feel has been my success story with a student and my students thus far. I feel like I am making a difference every day with a new student. It is very rewarding.
ReplyDelete2. Each class is special and unique. The students seem to know each other relatively well and know their tendencies. Therefore, in each class there seems to be little groups, or perhaps even a ring leader that gets things going. I have discovered that it is best to break that group up quickly by asking one to move the moment they walk into class and they always say “why Mr. Mixon?” I respond back with “because I said so, and that it is for your own benefit.” They typically oblige and the class period goes a lot smoother. Thankfully I have had the input and suggestions from my mentoring teachers with students who seem to be disengaged from the lesson. They said that I have the tendency to get so into the lesson that I do not notice or here what a lot of students are saying. By slowing down and making the information clearer for the students, my classroom management has improved.
3. a. Well I have read this chapter at least 4 times now in my graduate classes, and each time I read it, I understand it more clearly. Especially now that I am in “inner-city” setting (whatever that means, aren’t all schools technically “IN” a city?), it is easier to see what GL-B is getting across. Culturally relevant pedagogy in my opinion is culturally relevant teaching. We as teachers must notice the absolute bias and nativism that is embodied within our textbooks, especially in history. I continuously point that out to my students and challenge them to question any and all unclear material. That is the dominant way for students to learn, is to question. Thinking critically about the material does not come easy. Thus, by employing culturally relevant strategies, white teachers must overcome the barriers by teaching what we know. Because African American students have an entire different perspective. That is why I made sure my 6th grade students knew that little is known about the exact number of African American inventors and successful people in the late 1800 to the mid-1960s because any success story of African Americans meant that they were beating the system and were rising up from the shadows and dark corners of society, and white people (yes, I said it) were afraid of what they might accomplish. Therefore, African Americans were constantly being persecuted for their accomplishments and achievements, so little is known about African American inventors.
b. Culturally relevant pedagogy has to allow students of color (whatever that term means) to know and understand that everyone has contributed to the construction of society. I always make sure that my students know about successful African Americans. Additionally, culturally relevant pedagogy has to involve addressing the “elephant in the room” questions. That was one of the first things I made sure we talked about. I told the students I will not be offended and I that I plan on being as honest and upfront about everything. I wanted to earn their trust; I wanted to show them that being white is not always right. Considering white people continuously define what is good, true, and beautiful. Once we addressed the racism and prejudice dichotomy, my kids have an open forum to discuss ideas. You would be surprised at what those kids already know about being African American. I let them know upfront that I was not from a wealthy family, and that I have failed many times in my life, and that I am going to be a teacher because I want to teach kids about history. A lot of them have warmed up to the idea of history because I do not focus on names and dates. We constantly and continuously maintain excellent class discussions because those kids have some of the best questions.
ReplyDeletec. This article was great because I felt like I was a part of it. I could see what she was addressing in her article. For students of color (again, we are all colored), teachers need to be involved and in touch with the students’ lives. Those kids are always smiling, mad, angry, tired, and whatever other emotions I missed. It is better to empathize rather than to sympathize. And being a male teacher, I have a lot of students seeking that paternalistic impact in their life, and it is sad to notice that. But instead of sympathizing, I told the kids straight up that I did not have my father in my life much and I still do not. So they did not need to look at me as some rich white guy standing in front of them rambling on about history. Rather, they needed to look at me as an individual, and someone who is pursuing their dream.
4. a. I have read this article before as well, and it is a very eye opening story. Too often do we think “man I am glad so-and-so did not show up today” or “why do I have this kid?” Awful and unprofessional thinking but it is a natural thought. This article embodied the message that each and every kid has a story to tell, and that it is up to you as the teacher to break down those barriers and reach those kids like they want to be reached. Not every kid is the same, yes we know that, so one strategy will not always work with another. This article made me realize to not take your kids for granted. Enjoy your time with them and make them grow as individuals and citizens.
b. Overall, the main theme or idea I took away from this chapter was that no matter how hard or stubborn a kid may come across in your classroom, deep down they have goals, ambitions, desires, and dreams to succeed. By discovering this in your students, you as the teacher can help gather resources for them to show that you care about them, even though you have them for a semester, or in our terms for a summer. And when a student is out in my class, I automatically ask has anyone talked to him/her, did anyone see him/her this weekend. I want to know what is going on at all times. Lastly, we cannot be afraid of our students, some students have to have a tough skin because that is all they know. Just because they are 11 does not mean they are 11. Some have to grow up faster than others. /drops the mic / walks off stage
3A. Culturally relevant pedagogy is the process of breaking down, building, and rebuilding the curriculum to meet the needs of your students. Being culturally relevant means providing students with an education that means something to the students and not just teaching because the guide says to teach a certain topic. Teachers will take a piece of material and ask what it is trying to teach the students; then they will focus on a relevant and current topic based off the required material to teach to the students. (Example of Romeo and Juliet and not being able to talk to adults.) Culturally relevant teachers tell the students why they are learning something and tell them how and when they will use the information. It means teachers need to have empathy rather than sympathy. Teachers need to connect the curriculum to the students’ daily lives and community. Overall, it means that teachers use the students’ cultures to teach the curriculum, through academic achievement, cultural competence, and/or sociopolitical consciousness.
ReplyDelete3B. Culturally relevant teachers must invest in students’ education throughout their lives versus just the year they have them. Teachers who are culturally relevant empathize, respect, and understand their students’ culture, which bridges the gap between teachers and students. Culturally relevant teachers connect with their students when they learn about their students’ cultures, respect the cultures, and relate the information to their cultures. If teachers be culturally relevant then their students will succeed far more than those teachers who just do the things they are told.
3C. This article was interesting to me because a lot of teachers, including myself get caught up in doing rather than being. Although I understand that my students have different backgrounds and live different lives than I do, I forget that in my methods of teaching. This article makes me aware of what I need to be doing, in order to provide my students with a better education that will help make them lifelong learners and productive citizens.
4A. As I read this article, I thought about how this happens more than people think but necessarily do not experience. Not every teacher is faced with situations as this one and do not think that kids really exist this way. I thought about how I have only read about situations such as this or seen them in movies. Then I thought about how I am teaching in an urban community and this could be and probably is happening to some kids in our area. It saddens me, but it also makes me want to be more culturally relevant so I can make better connections with students. This article also gives me hope that there are teachers who truly want to help children succeed in life and not just for the school year.
4B. My take aways from this article is that no matter how little my own experience is, I can at least be there for my students and let them know that from day one. I liked how Mr. Simmons related to Jason and interacted with Jason, using Jason’s ways of interacting. This inspires me to want to be more attentive, to listen more, and to relate to students on their level.
1. I have to say my best success story is about one of my students that stated during the first day of school that she hated science. She said she does not get it and just does not like the subject at all. She also said there is no way that she would ever like science. Nonetheless, the past weeks she has been one of the students that answer the questions first and correctly during class. Additionally, she takes part in the discussions and asks questions. I do not think she realize that she is learning and enjoying science but I am pleased.
ReplyDelete2. The actions that students do that drive me crazy are talking when someone else is talking and being disrespectful to adults. Students need to learn how to give respect in order to receive respect. Many times the students are talking so much that they miss directions or important key facts from a lesson. To help the situation, I remind the students the rules of the classroom and most of the time they say sorry and we move on. But there have been times some students have gotten out of hand and needed to have a “coming to Jesus moment” according to one of my collegues. Additionally, I have realized that as a team, each teacher has to follow the rules that the group created. When one teacher allows the students to get away with certain things, it causes issues in other classes.
3.
a.)Culturally relevant pedagogy is having teachers who are willing to teach any students, no matter what their cultural backgrounds are while incorporating students’ cultures in different lessons. It’s making lessons relatable and fun. It also includes producing teachers that do not fall into some type of category which can hinder their abilities to reach students. It allows teachers to realize that their commitment to students is a long term situation.
b.)Teachers have to realize that the way they are raised makes them bias to certain ethnic groups whether they want to admit it or not. Many times teachers do not try to relate to their students due to this. They feel they can just teach a lesson without letting students know how it relates to their everyday lives or their past history. Teachers too often feel they have to deal or put up with students for a certain time frame, and then they can ship them off to someone else. They do it unconsciously but it affects the students directly. A culturally relevant teacher is someone who is willing to allow students to keep their cultural identity while doing well intellectually.
c.)The article was ok. It gives an insight to the challenges and struggles teachers face every day. Many individuals feel that only White female teachers struggle with relating to students that are categorized as inner city kids. However, other Black teachers face the same issues as well. All teachers at some point come across a group of students that they are having a hard time reaching. But they have to remember that getting to know your students and being accepted by them, does not mean one has to be from the same race or come from the same background. It just takes a teacher who is willing to go the extra mile to get to know their students and using that knowledge to their advantage.
4.
ReplyDeletea.)“The Empty Desk in the Third Row” by Robert Simmons, was the most heart breaking and touching chapter that I read. I read this chapter before but the first time I read it, I cried after reading Jason’s story. I knew that he probably would have died but when it did happen it hurt. Jason situation is what many young African American men face every day of their lives. They are battling surviving on the streets, being the big man in their hood, and being true to themselves by following their dreams. Mr. Simmons was able to gain Jason respect and trust by becoming a friend and mentor to him. He was able to relate to Jason and his other students and showed them that they are important and someone cares about them. He proved to Jason that he understood the difficult challenges he faced, but he gave him the encouragement that he needed to realize that there could be a different outcome for his future.
b.)What I thought was interesting, was when he laid out questions that teachers should ask themselves and see if they knew the answers to. I knew many White teachers would be opposed to some of the questions, because they do not know the answers or feel the question have nothing to do with teaching. However, that was not the interesting part that I was referring to. What was interesting was that I, as a Black African American woman, who feels that I am down to Earth and up to the times, did not know a couple of the answers. It was not much, but it was still shocking. I feel the questions are very important and valuable in order for a teacher to succeed in a predominately Black school. On the other hand, some may feel that he was lowering his standards by the students addressing him “What up?”, and sharing pounds and handshakes with students. However, he was just relating to the culture of his students and showing them that he is approachable and knows the latest trends.
Finally, I agreed with Mr. Simmons, that the curriculum needs to be revamped so all students can feel connected to what is being taught. Most of the lessons are based on the history or seen through the eyes of Caucasians. I hate it when they teach kids that Columbus discovered America and some of the Caribbean Islands, when we all know that is far from the truth. Every ethnicity needs to be represented in the textbooks and during lectures. Kids should not only hear about their culture during certain months.