Within Joseph L. Smith Elementary school there are 501 students, who have very diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. 26% of the students are African American, 5% are Asian, 35% Hispanic, 2% Native American and 35% White. So as the numbers show within this elementary school there is a larger percentage of non-white students than there are white students. 68% of the 501 students are qualified to receive reduced or free lunches.
Within Mrs. Blues kindergarten class there are 25 students, 14 female and 11 male. Within this small group of children there is at least one of every racial/ethnic background. The classroom is so diverse, so some students have similar linguistic, ethnic and sociocultural characteristics as others but then there are the few that are left without anyone. More than half of the students within this one class of 25 are qualified for reduced or free lunches because their families aren’t making a large enough income.
Some of these students of this classroom came into this setting at the beginning of the school year speaking very little English, if any. The student that Mrs. Blue said was having the most trouble, and I have come to the same conclusion is Erin. She recently moved to Rhode Island a few months before the start of the school year, her parents and grandmother speak very little English. I’m not positive what her exact language at home is but it is not English. So she has become very shy because she isn’t always sure what is being said to her of if she has the right answers.
While working with her a lot of pictures are used to try and get across what is being talked about. She will say it in her own language, and then we say what it is in English so she is able to hear and repeat what we are saying while making the connection with her first language. She also works within the larger groups just like any other student in the class. Mrs. Blue has them all participate in a sing along at the beginning of every class welcoming every student that is there that day. The student being talked about at the time steps into the middle of the rug and waves to the ones saying hello to them. They also make tons of crafts related to the materials being covered, allowing them to use their imaginations and creativity.
Mrs. Blue is a strong believer of student-centered teaching methods. She encourages them to think critically about the lessons she presents. This ranges from math lessons, to animal life, and even while reading stories. She will start reading stories, such as the one on Thanksgiving called Turkey for Thanksgiving, and instead of reading it all the way through in one shot she will stop every now and then. Asking her students questions like what should the turkey be thankful for, or what they think will happen next. She never picks on the same student that raises their hand to answer, in the hope that she will get everyone to feel comfortable sharing their ideas and thoughts. Producing the beginning stages of critical thinking that will formulate more and more as they progress through school to hopefully take with them out into society.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Prompt #4
Everyone has a personal history, when entering a classroom, I can’t say everyone has a bias though. Both of these items form through interactions with parents/family, friends, media, teachers, etc., it’s everywhere. So depending on whom one listens to while growing up, or if they have enough will power to overcome all the information and formulate their own ideas and opinions. This process can happen either way, a family could be for white privilege and as the child you may be the complete opposite and vice versa.
I grew up in a house with a family that wasn’t really bias at all. My parents treated everyone equally and would never make comments about anyone because of cultural diversity. Not everyone is as lucky as me though, I know that a bunch of my friends have grown up in a household were their mother or father was bias of one race or another and many of them grew up acting the same way, or were just afraid to not agree even if they didn’t. I would never change my views because of my friends but try to explain to them why it is so wrong. They would never want to be looked down upon like they do to others and maybe one day they’ll realize it.
So even as a teacher without a bias, the students no matter the age could have their own bias and that could bring about just as many problems. Either about the way they look at me as a white middle class teacher or the way they look and treat their other classmates. If this becomes a problem it will need to be addressed in a learning/positive way, not by making them feel two feet tall but trying to teach and get them to understand that every individual deserves respect.
Luckily, I didn’t witness this at Joseph L. Smith Elementary School even though there was a very diverse group of students both in my classroom and within the rest of the school. I can’t speak for all the teachers in the school but I can for Mrs. Blue. Over the past couple of months she constructed the classroom around being equal, not one person was better than the next. She hardly ever even makes herself look superior to the students either, unless it is necessary. She gets right down on the rug with all the students when demonstrating different activities. I’ve picked up this style of teaching within the first week from Mrs. Blue, it works and gets the kids focused and ready to pay attention. They aren’t intimidated and are enjoying the time learning with you.
I grew up in a house with a family that wasn’t really bias at all. My parents treated everyone equally and would never make comments about anyone because of cultural diversity. Not everyone is as lucky as me though, I know that a bunch of my friends have grown up in a household were their mother or father was bias of one race or another and many of them grew up acting the same way, or were just afraid to not agree even if they didn’t. I would never change my views because of my friends but try to explain to them why it is so wrong. They would never want to be looked down upon like they do to others and maybe one day they’ll realize it.
So even as a teacher without a bias, the students no matter the age could have their own bias and that could bring about just as many problems. Either about the way they look at me as a white middle class teacher or the way they look and treat their other classmates. If this becomes a problem it will need to be addressed in a learning/positive way, not by making them feel two feet tall but trying to teach and get them to understand that every individual deserves respect.
Luckily, I didn’t witness this at Joseph L. Smith Elementary School even though there was a very diverse group of students both in my classroom and within the rest of the school. I can’t speak for all the teachers in the school but I can for Mrs. Blue. Over the past couple of months she constructed the classroom around being equal, not one person was better than the next. She hardly ever even makes herself look superior to the students either, unless it is necessary. She gets right down on the rug with all the students when demonstrating different activities. I’ve picked up this style of teaching within the first week from Mrs. Blue, it works and gets the kids focused and ready to pay attention. They aren’t intimidated and are enjoying the time learning with you.
Prompt #5
Being a teacher in any school will have some form of challenge when it comes to collaborating with parents or guardians of the students. Especially within the Providence Public School and the classroom I have been in for the past few months. These schools and classrooms are extremely diverse. As a teacher we need to be open minded and recognize that every students home life is different. Some could be similar to what us as the teacher is familiar with or the complete opposite or somewhere in-between. No conclusion we come up with can be certain but there options are out there. Some children might live in a home where very little or no English is spoken, others might not get to spend that much time with their parents because they are left home with an older sibling while their single parent is out working their second or third job of the day, or you’ll find what many consider the ordinary family where the mom is usually home with them and there are still so many more possibilities.
In Johnsons’ article Our House Is On Fire he talks about the idea of white privilege. He makes a number of good points throughout the article about why things happen the way they do. He goes onto states that “the problem of race is not a problem of difference. The problem is a society organized around differences that are significant only in relation to an oppressive system of privilege.” Many of the parents of children of a multicultural classroom have been through schooling where white privilege was extremely dominate and teachers made it clear. They’ve might have been looked down on for one reason or another and treated differently. Now that they are parents they might feel as if they need to protect their children from this pain. So if as a teacher your just trying to talk to the parents of colored children, about what is going on within the classroom they might become defensive before you even get the chance to talk. Their initial thought is that just like their teachers did, you’re now looking down on their children.
As a white middle class teacher is a Providence Public school, people of color will have their own bias just like many white people do too. No matter what the situation is as a teacher I need to do the best to talk to all the students’ parents. Figure out what they would like from me/expect of me for the upcoming year and then tell them the ideas I also have in mind. Get them involved too, when fun things are going on in class or field trips talk to parents. Allow them to participate when they can. Make the parents feel involved and realize that I’m here to help their children, not to be bias towards anyone of them.
If a language barrier arises, and they are unable to comprehend what is being said to them and I am having trouble understanding them too maybe see if reading and writing is a possibility. Putting in that effort proves a lot to people. They can tell you care and want to work with them to get them involved. Prove to them you aren’t trying to get them and their children to only speak English, but to just learn it. Being bilingual is great, even an advantage.
In Johnsons’ article Our House Is On Fire he talks about the idea of white privilege. He makes a number of good points throughout the article about why things happen the way they do. He goes onto states that “the problem of race is not a problem of difference. The problem is a society organized around differences that are significant only in relation to an oppressive system of privilege.” Many of the parents of children of a multicultural classroom have been through schooling where white privilege was extremely dominate and teachers made it clear. They’ve might have been looked down on for one reason or another and treated differently. Now that they are parents they might feel as if they need to protect their children from this pain. So if as a teacher your just trying to talk to the parents of colored children, about what is going on within the classroom they might become defensive before you even get the chance to talk. Their initial thought is that just like their teachers did, you’re now looking down on their children.
As a white middle class teacher is a Providence Public school, people of color will have their own bias just like many white people do too. No matter what the situation is as a teacher I need to do the best to talk to all the students’ parents. Figure out what they would like from me/expect of me for the upcoming year and then tell them the ideas I also have in mind. Get them involved too, when fun things are going on in class or field trips talk to parents. Allow them to participate when they can. Make the parents feel involved and realize that I’m here to help their children, not to be bias towards anyone of them.
If a language barrier arises, and they are unable to comprehend what is being said to them and I am having trouble understanding them too maybe see if reading and writing is a possibility. Putting in that effort proves a lot to people. They can tell you care and want to work with them to get them involved. Prove to them you aren’t trying to get them and their children to only speak English, but to just learn it. Being bilingual is great, even an advantage.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Prompt #7
This experience over the last ten weeks has really shown me that teaching has both positive and negative outcomes. It has taught me that every student is different and really do have their own stories, not one is exactly the same. Some have single parents, some are taken care of by other guardians for one reason or another, some have more money than others and some students live in a home where English is never spoken or understood.
One girl named Erin, in particular really taught me about caring and going that one extra step further to help the students. It’s not that they don’t want to learn or understand they just aren’t familiar with how to. I would try and change up how I was teaching certain activities/lessons really helped her, and a number of other students understand better. I can finally see her picking up on things little by little, and putting all the pieces together. She has improved so much in the short amount of time I’ve been going to Joseph L. Smith Elementary School.
This other student named Steven also helped me a lot in forming the beginning of my teacher’s identity. He is five years old like most of the other children in the class but mentally is at a three year old level. They school councilor is having a hard time trying to figure out what is the exact problem behind it all, and has expected Mrs. Blue on a number of occasions to put forth all attention to this one boy. Yes he needs help but so does every other student in the classroom. So Mrs. Blue has showed me a very successful way of trying to keep Steven on track and understanding what is going on while making sure none of the other students are losing out. When I work with Steven one on one he has taught me how to be patient while trying to get him to understand the necessary information, also by thinking outside the box to try and come up with ways to get him to understand. It isn’t his fault he was placed in this class were he obviously is behind, so why should he be left to suffer.
Many of the other students with their different backgrounds have also helped me realize that children need us. Not only to teach them, but to really allow them to grow and learn as much as they can for a successful future, also to feel important because not everyone of them will get it within their homes, unfortunately. They need us to really enjoy what we are doing, to care, to understand, to support and to encourage them. I always had assumptions of what I thought a teacher needed to be like but now I have such a better understanding. Not all teachers feel the same way though, and there are plenty out there that just don’t care. I don’t want to be one of them, and these students really showed me that I can’t be, it’s not fair to them.
I can also say that Mrs. Blue has truly showed me what a “good” teacher is like. She always goes that extra mile sometimes even spending her own money, even though she doesn’t have to, just so her students can receive a better experience while learning. She understands that everyone doesn’t have the same home life and works to do her best to try and supply them with the necessary things to take home with them, such as books and math activities. I’ve talked to another individual helping out within the same elementary school but with the other kindergarten teacher. He said she was nothing like mine, I got extremely lucky. It was a very positive experience that has shown me the teacher I want and need to be to benefit the students for their whole lives, not just while they are with me for a year.
This experience has really changed me for the better and I have come out of it with so much. It reminds me of the Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer’s article: In the Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning. I didn’t just end up going to the school to go there as a form of charity and to receive the credit for the hours I needed for the service learing section of this class. I went because I was gaining something from it while I was helping the students who needed it. Each one of the kids I have assisted in the time I have been there has improved so much it’s amazing to me. They have also helped me start forming my teaching identity. Everyone of us benefited from this experience.
One girl named Erin, in particular really taught me about caring and going that one extra step further to help the students. It’s not that they don’t want to learn or understand they just aren’t familiar with how to. I would try and change up how I was teaching certain activities/lessons really helped her, and a number of other students understand better. I can finally see her picking up on things little by little, and putting all the pieces together. She has improved so much in the short amount of time I’ve been going to Joseph L. Smith Elementary School.
This other student named Steven also helped me a lot in forming the beginning of my teacher’s identity. He is five years old like most of the other children in the class but mentally is at a three year old level. They school councilor is having a hard time trying to figure out what is the exact problem behind it all, and has expected Mrs. Blue on a number of occasions to put forth all attention to this one boy. Yes he needs help but so does every other student in the classroom. So Mrs. Blue has showed me a very successful way of trying to keep Steven on track and understanding what is going on while making sure none of the other students are losing out. When I work with Steven one on one he has taught me how to be patient while trying to get him to understand the necessary information, also by thinking outside the box to try and come up with ways to get him to understand. It isn’t his fault he was placed in this class were he obviously is behind, so why should he be left to suffer.
Many of the other students with their different backgrounds have also helped me realize that children need us. Not only to teach them, but to really allow them to grow and learn as much as they can for a successful future, also to feel important because not everyone of them will get it within their homes, unfortunately. They need us to really enjoy what we are doing, to care, to understand, to support and to encourage them. I always had assumptions of what I thought a teacher needed to be like but now I have such a better understanding. Not all teachers feel the same way though, and there are plenty out there that just don’t care. I don’t want to be one of them, and these students really showed me that I can’t be, it’s not fair to them.
I can also say that Mrs. Blue has truly showed me what a “good” teacher is like. She always goes that extra mile sometimes even spending her own money, even though she doesn’t have to, just so her students can receive a better experience while learning. She understands that everyone doesn’t have the same home life and works to do her best to try and supply them with the necessary things to take home with them, such as books and math activities. I’ve talked to another individual helping out within the same elementary school but with the other kindergarten teacher. He said she was nothing like mine, I got extremely lucky. It was a very positive experience that has shown me the teacher I want and need to be to benefit the students for their whole lives, not just while they are with me for a year.
This experience has really changed me for the better and I have come out of it with so much. It reminds me of the Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer’s article: In the Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning. I didn’t just end up going to the school to go there as a form of charity and to receive the credit for the hours I needed for the service learing section of this class. I went because I was gaining something from it while I was helping the students who needed it. Each one of the kids I have assisted in the time I have been there has improved so much it’s amazing to me. They have also helped me start forming my teaching identity. Everyone of us benefited from this experience.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Prompt #1
Driving up into the area is very different than the surroundings I am used to encountering. Joseph L. Smith Elementary School is placed right in the middle of the streets just like a house would be. There is just enough parking availible too, so all visitors are left to find a spot on the roads. In result, the school has two floors with a basement, compared to the one floor spread out elementary schools I’m used to seeing. Also, every person going into the building has to ring a buzzer, where there is a camera that's connected to the main office so they can see who it is before they let an individual into the building. More times than not, there are two classes at once in a small lunchroom participating in physical education, with two different teachers. Causing so many distractions, I don't know how they expect students to pay attention.
One of the first artifacts everyone sees when they walk in is a bulletin board. The board has a painting of a child with the quote “Children should be seen, heard, and believed.” It brings up the idea of rupturing boarders, that not every student has the same experiences as the next, or the same form of family up-bringing. Just like in Dennis Carlson’s’ Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community article portrays within his five principles of democratic, multicultural pedagogy. These teachers in this elementary school and especially my teacher Mrs. Blue realize that every students voice needs to be heard and protected. Their imaginations are going wild at such young ages and teachers need to let them speak and get involved with discussions. They don’t hold the children responsible for what they can’t change, they are there to help and teach. Mrs. Blue doesn't consider one gender or race to be superior to any other individual in the class. Mrs. Blue also takes it upon herself to supplies every student in her class with two bags; a math one and a reading one. The students get to take them home for the week so if there is a situation where a parent or guardian can’t afford to buy books, the students are not losing out. She was in a way rupturing the borders like Carlson's third principle, she was allowing everyone to be equal and on the same level. Even if people had more at home she gave them books and math activities too so no one knew the difference. Everyone was on the same level and felt equal to one another within the classroom. She is honestly there for her students and will do whatever extra she can to help them succeed.
As I finally make it into Mrs. Blue’s classroom, one can see that she has things set up in all different areas, but it works for her. She favors bringing the students to the rug and going over the material there and then having them go back to their assigned seats to finish the work as she walks around and helps anyone that needs it. She also has an assistant in the room helping her out at all times, in hope that no student loses out during any activity. (Refer back to the picture at the top, I couldn't figure out how to get it to show up after this paragraph)
The schools positive behavior plan; which they call the “Smith Fabulous Four,” is Respect, Responsibility, Achievement, and Safety. Every teacher strongly believes in following and having the students follow this plan too. Mrs. Blue actually has a bulletin board dedicated to the Smith Fabulous Four right in her classroom, allowing students to see it every day. So no one can say they did not know what the schools behavior plan was. If these rules, or terms are followed and teachers witness these acts they can hand out “Smith Cash.” The cash can also be taken away if students are not following the rules. For example, when a teacher is walking in the hall or happens to be looking out the door and sees students walking quietly, respecting the fact that teaching is going on, they can receive Smith Cash. The opposite can take place too, money can be taken away if students are running through the halls and being loud. Then once a month the school store comes around to every class and the students can buy things with this money. So it is essentially free! It only takes a little good behavior. The students love it; it gives them something to work for. Or in the teachers eyes a form of rewards in hope to get the students that act up to behave.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Hi, my name is Amy Torres and I am 20 years old. I was born and raised in Warwick, Rhode Island with both my parents and my two brothers. I attended CCRI for two years after high school to figure out what I wanted to do with my life and to play soccer. I transfered to RIC for this fall to major in Physical Education and Eealth ed. While I attended RIC I was also planning on continueing playing soccer, until the recovery from my knee surgery this past wither didn't go as planned.
I am excited to take part in this class and the school I will soon be placed in to complete our 15 hours for the Service Learning Project. I hope to learn a ton of new and interesting ideas/techniques that I will be able to use in the future.
I am excited to take part in this class and the school I will soon be placed in to complete our 15 hours for the Service Learning Project. I hope to learn a ton of new and interesting ideas/techniques that I will be able to use in the future.
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