Blog Post #12

 Blog Post Number 12 

1. There was one activity that resonated with me the most throughout this semester. It was based upon the reading, The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children by Lisa Delpit was an eye opening experience. It was the game of cards that we played. Once I understood that each group had received different instructions it all made sense to me. It was the perfect way to illustrate a powerful concept she taught us, rules and codes of power. It was more difficult to be successful when you did not speak up or explicitly say the rules. I might have felt a little oppressed during this game; however, now I feel more connected to the possible outcomes: confidence, shame, anger, or giving up. At the activity I could not believe I was unable to pinpoint the purpose of what we were doing. Looking back at it, I was stuck in parallel universe regarding the culture of power.

2. A discussion point after we read Shalaby’s Troublemakers was also quite interesting. Many teachers fail to understand the difference between pushing your students and controlling them. Although some teachers have “good intentions” behind getting their students to comply, it may end up hurting them in the end. During my service learning and schooling experience I have seen educators treat their students like “subordinate creatures.” This can contribute to canary metaphor, specifically the toxic air that Shalaby taught us. As future educators, we need to understand: even though students are younger and can learn from us we NEED to treat them as with human rights. It sounds ridiculous to write this, but it is a real problem! It is only when we treat our students as an equal and give them the freedom they deserve, where they can fly their highest. 

3. A quote from Queering our Schools touched my heart: “if he had seen Sasha’s skirt as an expression of another kid’s unique beautiful self… I would not be writing this now.” This quote speaks to me because I believe you should always try to see the beauty in self expression. Instead of critiquing differences, we can be empowered by their confidence to showcase their true selves. Before I wanted to become a teacher, I thought it would be beneficial to teach a small lesson on love and kindness early on. When children learn in a positive environment they can learn to model kindness. After all, when we behaviorally learn as children, it can influence how we perform for the rest of our lives. 

Chat gpt generated image: “could you generate an image of a classroom of students hands on learning kindness based on what I wrote [insert text].” Then, “how about the teacher learning a lesson on specific examples of how to spread love to her students.” 

RI Law and Policies, Queer our School, & Woke Read Aloud: They, She, He Easy ABC

 Author: The Editors of Rethinking and Woke Kindergarden 

These readings and videos were very insightful regarding queer practices in the school systems. For the Woke Read Aloud video I was fond of the children's book that the woman was speaking about. What stood out to me was the gender identity of a certain individual could contradict their gender orientation. For example, a person wearing a dress, having long hair, and wearing pink could identify as a male. Introducing this topic to little children can make it easier to understand that these differences are okay. Additionally, through education we can break down stereotypes that marginalize the queer community. This video reminded me of an Instagram reel I came across while doom scrolling. An educator showed pictures of different cartoon T.V. and anime characters asking the children to identify their gender. Specifically he showed students Piglet and Tweety on the classroom television. They said that the two characters were females, and the teacher corrected this accusation. One of the characters' gender even identified as non-binary. After, he described the term misgendering and the necessary steps to take in the future. These two videos heavily resonated with me because I want to be the kind of teacher that will teach kindness at an earlier age. In educational psychology class we are learning about Bandura’s Social Learning Theories. We as humans learn from observation and behavior outcomes we watch in society. If we can build a healthy and safe learning community in early stages we can set that standard for a child for the rest of their lives. According to the RI Law and Policies and the Woke Read Aloud there are real concerns on how parents will react to education and coming children with gender differences. Deeply, this makes me disappointed and angry in a variety of ways. Through communication and education we can end the silence to challenges and segregation that the queer community faces. I believe that teachers should be professionally developed in these areas so they can spread kindness where hatred is prominent in the school system.  In the Queer studies article, they mentioned integration LGBTQ+ relevant topics into the curriculum. In my opinion, it is a brilliant opportunity to get to recognize queer situations, while continuing to learn about typical history. 

Comment: In Florida, there is a whole law dedicated to the restriction of LGBTQ+ education unless deemed “age appropriate.” It makes me upset that the RI Law and Policies need to restrain using the preferred pronouns to a parent because there are so many that will not accept it. I believe that they look down upon it because of the negative stigma and the lack of education they receive. Also, there are so many parents worried about how society will look at them knowing their child is not straight or the gender they were assigned at birth. A solution to this issue could be offering education services about queer studies in the community.

Comment: There is one more comment I would like to add pertaining to the Queering Our Schools reading. Sasha’s father says a beautiful quote that includes: “if he had seen Sasha’s skirt as an expression of another kid’s unique beautiful self…I would not be writing this now.” This touched my heart because instead of hating on an unfamiliarity in a human, we can find the beauty in the freedom of their self expression. 

What is Neurodiversity? - Blog Post Number 10

 From the Child Mind Institute 

Reflection: 

Reading this article, I saw a connection between how the authors viewed neurodiversity using the Asset Based Model. For example, there is a whole subtitled called “Emphasizing the Strengths in Neurodiversity.” One of these strengths is creativity, which I had read before while researching dyslexia (a condition that falls under neurodiversity). The article described that different parts of the brain are activated in people with dyslexia.  Those with conditions like dyslexia can be perceived as “less intelligent,” but my research taught me they have different working minds than the rest of us. It made me think: they are not “less than,” – they have different strengths and differences. 

The article from the Child Mind Institute, highlighted using the term difference instead of disorder to help neurodiverse people have more confidence in them. To me, I believe that you are seeing them more as a person rather than “a disordered person” which can be limiting to a human. Which again, relates back to the Asset Based Model. 

Unfortunately, it can be challenging for those with neurodiverse conditions because they are a minority for our society. Most features in the world accommodate those with a neurotypical mind. For example, bright lights, stiff chairs, and loud noises and we do not think twice about it. In my placement school there is a boy with ADHD who has trouble focusing with me when it is loud in the classroom. As a future teacher, I think it is important to be mindful about students who call for these accommodations. In order to ensure comfort and freedom, I would like to have various types of seating and allow students to work in a quiet space. 

According to the article, there recently appears to be more awareness around neurodiversity. One quote in particular that stuck with me includes, “For kids around middle-school age who are struggling socially, identifying as neurodiverse can be a way to make sense of what they are going through.” By eliminating the stigma on neurodiversity, these individuals can speak to trusted adults about what they are going through. Neurodiverse people can hopefully connect with one so they do not feel alone in their differences. Educating teens early about neurodiversity gives them the tools to start identifying if they are neurodiverse at a younger age. That way, with these diagnoses they do not feel like something is “wrong with them.” Rather, through awareness we can shift this to “I have different strengths.” To me, this is huge for the coming generations. 

Comments: I learned that raising awareness can break down the stigma for neurodiversity. This made me think being introduced to these conditions at a young age could be beneficial. It would be great to see cartoon characters or informational pop up events at elementary schools. That way, children and adolescents have exposure to possible differences.  

The Preface and Introduction of Troublemakers

 The Preface and Introduction of Troublemakers 

Author: Shalaby 

Reflection: This piece allowed me to look through a new lens through the use of comparisons. In particular, punishing troublemaking students to a minor’s canary. The little bird would be used to indicate if the air was toxic in a coal mine, because they die before a human would. The poisonous air at school represents the lack of freedom and the strict rules. At the end of the introduction, I wish that the author would provide more ways for educators to clean the toxic air. After all, it could be difficult when teachers are held to teach the curriculum at a specific pace. Therefore, the question I pose is, “how can teachers encourage freedom, and embrace behavioral problems when they are held to a curriculum?” Moving forward, another comparison that changed my perspective regarded our history of preventing blacks from reading and suspension of primarily black students. I would have never thought that implicit racism could take place in the form of suspension and detention. This really goes to show that history can repeat itself in different situations. It is disappointing to see our system fail the students because they need to be in school to learn. Not being taken out, hence demonstrating to them that they are the problem. This brings me to my next topic that inspired me from this reading- the troublemaker. In my Inspiring Minds classroom, the teacher informed me on which students that “gives her a hard time.” The last time I went, there was a student and she thought he was the one making a sound. When she found out it was a peer of his, she says “usually you are the problem, but this time you are not” in front of the whole class.She is isolating him from the class, most likely making him feel like an outcast or inferior. In our class, we have spoken about how shame and humiliation can be a harmful tactic to learning. The preface mentioned how teachers should treat their students as free human beings. In some elementary schools, including the one I went to, they made students who were talking line up against the wall for the whole cafeteria to see. It is normalized for teachers to do this and to assert their dominance over their students. As future educators, we need to remember that the primary goal is to respect and see progress in our students.  

Comment: In the reading, I liked how it mentioned that behavior issues are the number one driving cause for them to quit. After watching many teachers on social media quit for the same reason, behavioral issues have become worrisome to me. Following this it says that teachers who are more empathetic and deeply care about their students are happier in the long run, which alleviated a lot of my anxiety. I am a psychology oriented person so understanding certain situations and reasons for behavior comes more naturally than most people. As someone who challenged authority with my history teacher, I know what it is like for the perspective of a student. Without a doubt, I will always love each and everyone of my students. Happily receive constructive criticism, while making the necessary adjustments that I need to. I take my students seriously and not treat them as inferior to me. Afterall, I believe how you treat your students is how they are going to treat you back. 

Literacy with an Attitude- Educating Working Class Children in Their Own Self-Interest

 Literacy with an Attitude- Educating Working Class Children in Their Own Self-Interest 

By: Patrick J. Flinn 

Reflection: This piece was truly an interesting and insightful read that piqued my curiosity. The main idea for chapter 2 suggests that schools in areas of certain social classes can set them up for that exact class in society. For example, in the working-class school the assignments students would where very mechanical and following instruction oriented, similarly to that field. Children of the middle class could learn techniques to perform well if they paid attention to their teacher and listened well. Which is related to how middle class workers are rewarded when they obey. Those in the affluent professional schools focused on individuality and creativity. It is designed for students to connect real life experiences to the content of the class. Instead of giving direct order, she had the students themselves choose how they behave. This approach differs from Delpit where she advocates for explicit instruction. I believe both ways can be beneficial depending on the circumstance. There is one example in particular I have given much thought into, including the use of cell phones in a classroom. 

Chat gpt generated image: 

Insert “can you create a photo with cell phones. have the teacher say, "when you are on your phone you can miss out on the lesson." have a student say "I need to send a quick text to my mom".”

In a high school setting, I have been pondering if you should have a strict no phone policy or give students the freedom to use it as they please. As a teacher, I would say you can use them, but you may miss out on something important. One of the key words in affluent professional schools was think. It takes no effort to think when you get yelled at or your phone taken away. However, it does take thinking and learning to go on your phone, miss a detail, and learn that you should pay attention to your teacher. It takes negotiation to tell the teacher, I need to text my mom back for one second, but I am listening and will put it back right away. I believe when we give students more creativity and trust in certain settings that learning can be proper. There are going to be specific classrooms that may take advantage of this and you may want to strictly enforce no cell phones to younger students when they are not ready to make such judgments yet. Negotiation, deep level thinking, and creativity is crucial in experimental scientific based jobs, which is setting them up for this career field. The last school they focused on was the elite executive school. There was focus on self-discipline and making good choices. In this school students had the freedom to move around and the responsibility to keep up with the brisk pace of the content. This school was pushing the students to be elite just like the career they are destined for. The end of this piece resonated with me when the author said “I’d like to hope that a child’s expectations are not determined the day he/she enters kindergarten.” After all, this is the land of opportunity so it is unfair that the school you go to can influence a certain career. Especially when you are born into the working class. Honestly, I have never thought of that relationship before, and it really opened my eyes to these hidden injustices. 

Comment: A part in the piece that made me feel passionate was when the author mentioned that working class students were making a grid, but they did not know why. When you show students how to do everything, especially a certain way, it can be a barrier for learning. Students need to spend time struggling on their own in order to learn. School should not be so focused on the pace and the answers, but rather on the content understanding and creativity.

Teach Us All: Video Analysis

 Teach Us All Video Analysis Google Doc Notes Link

Teach us all: Segregation and Education in the United States 

• Children in segregated schools are less likely to graduate and more likely to get arrested 

• More unqualified teachers 

• Will leave them poor for the rest of their lives 

• Central high little rock Arkansas 

• 1957 there were protests stopped the little rock nine from desegregating the school 

• The lost year there were no education at all for black students  

• Jonathan became the principal of the lowest performing schools 

• No one wants to go to an area where students are lower 

• Higher income areas get more funding for the schools than lower income areas 

• Lower income students can apply to a better school but it’s so hard to get in to 

• 1944 there was a black young lady that wanted to go to a school 

• Denied entry to the white school she wanted to go to 

• The mendez family won in 1946

Precious Knowledge Video Analysis