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.
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