Blog 12 Review

 Blog Post 12- Review 

    The first thing that stuck out to me this semester was the article on Neurodiversity. This article stuck out to me the most because there are a lot of students you work with as a teacher that are neurodivergent and being able to recognize the correct ways to acknowledge and teach is extremely important. In addition to this I felt a strong connection to this article because my sister has both ADHD and dyslexia and she has struggled in school due to the teachers not following the protocols that she needs to be able to be successful. However, overtime when she has had a teacher support what she needs to be successful in return she has strived in school instead of struggling and not enjoying school. As a future teacher I want to ensure I don’t treat my neurodivergent students how these teachers treated my sister, I want to make sure all my students have what they need to be successful and feel seen and heard. Another activity that stuck out to me over the semester was the card game we played in class. This stuck out to me because when I was playing the game and no one could explain the rules and everyone had different rules it kept making me feel stupid and frustrated. This emphasized to me the importance of having explicit instructions/expectations because without this some individuals may not be able to follow or may end up getting frustrated, feel stupid, give up, etc. As a future teacher I will now make sure that all students are explicitly told the rules/expectations so that no student is left in the dark and struggling. The last article that stuck out to me over the semester was the article by Kohn What to Look for in a Classroom. This article stuck out to me because I can use this guide for how I should set up my classroom in the future. In addition to this I was able to use this article in my current placement to see what they are doing in their classroom and why they are doing this. This article was a strong tool for me that I can use in my current school career and in the future in my classroom as a teacher. 

Sex and Gender-based Systems

Sex and Gender-based systems

Reflection:

After reading the RI Laws and Policies & Queering Our Schools and watching Woke Read Alouds:They,She,He Easy as ABC  I was able to learn more ways to ensure that my classroom is inclusive to every student no matter their gender or sexuality etc. Ensuring that we have this inclusive environment in our classrooms is extremely important in making sure every student has a supportive accepting environment that they can come to each day. Having this strong supportive accepting environment improves the students academic success and their mental and physical health. In Rhode Island there are some specific laws that are set in place to prevent discrimination to these students. Some of these laws include Title IX which ensures that there is no sex-based discrimination. Additionally there is the Equal Access Act and FERPA which makes sure that every student has equal access to through their education and protection of the students privacy. As a teacher it is our responsibility to ensure we are making our students feel welcome. We can do this by using the students preferred pronouns and names and allowing access to the bathrooms and locker rooms based on their gender identity. In addition to this we should have open conversations on gender and how to respect everyone. The video of the read aloud really stuck out to me because I am interested in teaching younger kids. Having this book that discusses different gender identities and pronouns through the ABCs would be an easy way to introduce this inclusive environment into the classroom. 

Questions/Comments/Thoughts to Share:

What are other ways that we can promote inclusion of different gender identities and pronouns in our classrooms? Especially in young classrooms, discussing this topic may be hard for them to grasp and fully understand. However, it is extremely important to start discussing at a young age. What are ways you would incorporate these conversations into your younger classrooms?  https://library.cod.edu/guide_inclusive/pronouns 

What is Neurodiversity? By: Caroline Miller

 What is Neurodiversity? By: Caroline Miller 

Reflection: 

After reading What is Neurodiversity? By Caroline Miller I can make many connections to what she was discussing in my life. My sister has both ADHD and dyslexia and she is one of the most creative people I have ever met. My sister may typically struggle with aspects such as schoolwork yet she has so many other strengths that need to be focused on. Instead of individuals seeing her differences as a problem individuals need to see the strengths that come along with it. My sister is able to do impressive hairstyles, makeup, nail designs, art projects etc. Me and my family see her differences as strengths that we may not have that we wish we could have. I personally always have typically not struggled in aspects such as schoolwork however when it comes to anything creative I struggle extremely and wish I had those strengths that she has. I love that Judy Singer was able to come up with the term Neurodiversity because it was able to show many individuals that everyone's brain works differently. In addition to this it got rid of the stigma in society that these differences need to be fixed and are an issue. Instead we can use these differences to our strengths and everyone can use their strength to contribute to society. Caroline Miller also discussed the importance of making the classroom into an inclusive environment that promotes everyone's differences and makes it easier for all students to learn in their own ways. I agree with this statement immensely because before getting to High School my sister struggled with the classroom settings she was put in to learn. However, now that she is in High School she has been able to be a lot more successful in the aspect of her grades because of the teachers and the environment that she was put in. The teachers at the High School my sister goes to allow for all her accommodations to be met with ease so that she is able to use her strengths to her ability and do well on her school work.    

Questions/Comments to Share/Reflection: 

Once I become a teacher I am ensuring that I have an inclusive classroom that exemplifies every child's strengths. I will not see these student differences as deficits that are in the classroom but assets that are added to the classroom. Here is another article from the same website that discusses how to support neurodiversity in the school. 

Troublemakers

                                                                     Troublemakers 

Reflection: 

While reading Troublemakers by Carla Shalaby I was making many connections to past readings we have done over the course of the semester. Shalaby was discussing how students who are typically seen as “troublemakers” need to be looked at from a different angle. Instead of believing that it is the students who are the problem we should look deeper into the system and the environment that they are being seen as a “troublemaker”. Shalaby is claiming that if we were to look deeper into the child's home life you will find that they typically are a good individual once they are somewhere their culture is embraced, they are explicitly told the instructions and expectations, and they feel accepted. As we previously discussed in class schools are catered to those that fit the SCWAAMP (Straight, Christian, White, American, Able-bodied, Male, Property owner) characteristics. As a result students who do not fit these characteristics are typically excluded in their school system. In addition to this it leads to students not knowing the rules and expectations that most schools have due to them not being explicitly told as they are just assumed to know them. This then leads to students not knowing how they are expected to act in school since it is different from what they are learning at home making them be seen as a “troublemaker”. If we look at these students in all aspects and teach in culturally responsive ways then it will reduce the amount of students that are viewed as being “troublemakers”. Overall, students will then be more excited to come to school each day and will be more successful in school. 

Reflection/Questions/Comments to share: 

What are ways we can ensure as future teachers that we will look into the students deeper and not judge students based on how they are acting in school. 

   

Literacy with an Attitude

                                                              Literacy with an Attitude

Reflection: 

After reading Literacy with an Attitude by Patrick J. Finn I was able to connect with what Finn was arguing on how schools differ based on the social class of the student population. I was fortunate to be able to go to an upper middle to high class school (Ponaganset High School) in an upper middle to high class town (Glocester) so I was able to have the opposite view point of what Finn was stating. In my school critical thinking was promoted in almost every classroom. In addition to this we had pathways at our schools which provided us with different types of classes so you could do something specific to your interests. This allowed students to have strong individualism and have the ability of free choice. This contrasts to working class schools because these students typically are not given much choice in the types of courses they can take. In addition to this the students are not usually challenged to their full abilities. The teachers that are in working class schools are commonly only teaching straight from the textbooks that are for low ability students even though most of the students in the school are not actually low ability students. This stuck out to me significantly because I believe that all students should be challenged to their fullest potential. Students coming from working class families should not have to by default become a working class adult as well. Students should be able to thrive and want to do the best that they can in their future. However, with the school systems not expanding their students' abilities and giving them individualism they are stuck in a box making it difficult for all students to be put to their best ability. 

Reflections/Comments/Questions: 

I believe that as future teachers we need to thrive to push our students no matter what social class that they are from. 

Video Analysis Links

  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v8D4xUnGvgx47rUUurgHN9m2EyRjWk8EOJEHrSV2tPo/edit?usp=sharing 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cayGNO0IlA-54HhshsbJxVo-GL7E7FA9Fz3vlUOp7gM/edit?usp=sharing 

What to Look for in a Classroom by: Alfie Kohn & Introduction to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy by: Learning for Justice

 What to Look for in a Classroom by: Alfie Kohn & Introduction to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy by: Learning for Justice 

After reading What to Look for in a Classroom by Alfie Kohn and watching Introduction to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy by Learning for Justice I was able to expand my knowledge of what a culturally responsive classroom would look like. As a result I can use this new knowledge when I go to my placement on Monday to see how they have set up their classroom and how their classroom is operated to see if it is culturally responsive. Even little things such as how the furniture is set up or what is on the walls has a huge impact on the students' learning. As explained in the video, having every student's culture should be encouraged in the classroom so that it can be built on and learned from. Some ways that this could be done is having students bring in an item that represents their culture into the classroom and having them present it so the other students can learn about that item and that student's culture. These items can then be left around the classroom throughout the school year so that every student has something that represents who they are. As a result of having their culture represented in the classroom the student is more likely to succeed in school and enjoy coming to school everyday. Whereas if the teacher just had posters of the typical white, ablebodied, students not as many students are going to feel represented and welcomed in their classroom. As we discussed in class these types of classrooms are typically only representing the dominant culture (SCWAAMP). Instead of having a window of knowledge for the students to learn about, it is only a mirror to those with the SCWAAMP characteristics.

*I asked Chat GPT to make two posters one culturally responsive and one not*

The Silenced Dialog By Lisa Delpit

 The Silenced Dialog By Lisa Delpit 

After reading The Silenced Dialog by Lisa Delpit it got me thinking about how even the schools rules and expectations are typically catered to white middle to high class individuals. As a result this then causes students coming from a lower class different culture background to struggle. This once again connects back to what we learned in class SCWAAMP (straight, christian, white, american, able-bodied, male, property owner. The individuals that have the SCWAAMP traits are typically those in power. As a result these powers are brought into the classrooms at school making it difficult for anyone that does not align with these qualities to struggle in schools. Delpit argues that these teachers should be teaching these classroom rules and expectations clearly to all students because not all of these “norms” are normal for all cultures and backgrounds. By ensuring to fully explain these rules and regulations to ALL students no student will be at a disadvantage.Currently in school systems if the “norms” are not being explained to all students especially those that come from colored low income household do not previously know the “norms” because it does not fit their own culture “norms”. This stresses the importance of bringing all cultures, backgrounds, and experiences into the classroom so no student is at a disadvantage.

  

The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies A Research Review By Christine E. Sleeter

 The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies A Research Review By Christine E. Sleeter

Reflection: 

After reading The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies a Research Review by Christine E. Sleeter it got me thinking about how little individuals of different ethnic backgrounds other than white individuals are represented in the school curriculum. This is a huge issue because it does not allow students of different backgrounds to incorporate in their learning during school creating inequality in their learning. When you think about what you have learned in history class you typically learn about the white male leaders in America however, you rarely learn about the African American or Native American leaders unless it is tied to slavery or immigration. When I was younger in school I remember learning about Christopher Colombus being the one who discovered America, however it was left out and barely talked about how the Indigenous population actually were the first individuals to live in America. In addition to this he enslaved native people by putting them through extreme violence and labor. This information has been surfacing more recently where as when I was in elementary school it was not nearly talked about enough. Instead we worship Christopher Colombus the white male who “discovered America”. However, this example I used was not the only one. There are many other leaders who have not been nearly recognized enough due to being African American, Native American, etc. This emphasises the need for using the Ethnic Studies approach so that it examines the perspectives that the stories are being told, race, racism, community identity, and cultural values. This incorporates every student into the school systems when learning and does not just recognize the white male leaders. This allows all students being able to make a connection with their life to what they are learning in schools encourages them to continue their journey in schooling. 

“Image from Chat Gpt: Prompt: create a graphic of how Christopher Columbus treated the indigenous population” 

  Questions/Comments/Concerns:

What are ways we can push ethnic studies in our classrooms? I would like to think of more ways as a young elementary school teacher of ways to incorporate these ethnic studies in my classroom so that every student feels connected and represented in my classroom.

Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit Oriented Schools to Asset Based Models: Why Leaders Need to Promote an Asset Orientation in our Schools

 Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit Oriented Schools to Asset Based Models: Why Leaders Need to Promote an Asset Orientation in our Schools

By:Shannon Renkly and Katherine Bertolini

Reflection: 

After reading Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit Oriented Schools to Asset Based Models: Why Leaders Need to Promote an Asset Orientation in our Schools it made me realize the importance of promoting the assets in children rather than pointing out their deficits. When reading this I was thinking about how schools are known for “teaching to the test” and not having as much freedom when teaching their lessons. This not only affects the abilities for the teachers ability to teach content but it also majorly affects how students learn. As I have previously learned in other classes there are multiple intelligences where students learn differently and have strengths in different areas. One student may have very strong abilities in music whereas another student may have strong abilities in logic and mathematics. However, in school students are not allowed to use these different intelligences. They need to have a strong ability in math and reading so that they can have a high test score. As a result the students that do not have these specific intelligences typically struggle in school. This leads to schools having a deficit oriented school system. This only promotes what the students are doing wrong and how they can fix it. As a result this affects students' positive view towards school. Students who are always being told they are always doing something incorrectly put down their motivation and their want to do well in school everyday. Then specific behaviors are resulted because they do not have a positive outlook on school anymore. However, if we changed this in schools to having an asset based model and focusing on students strengths more students would like going to school everyday. I think this is a key way to work the multiple intelligences into the school systems so that every student's intelligence can be acknowledged and have more positive feedback in their learning. 

Comments/Questions/Thoughts to share: 

What are ways you would use the asset model in your classroom? What are ways you would want to promote positive learning in your classroom?

What “Counts” as Educational Policy? Notes toward a New Paradigm By Jean Anyon

 What “Counts” as Educational Policy? Notes toward a New Paradigm By Jean Anyon

Reflection:

After reading What “Counts” as Educational Policy? Notes toward a New Paradigm By Jean Anyon I was met with the idea of poverty being a major cause of having a strong education. I came from an upper class town in Rhode Island with a great school system (Ponaganset High School) which led to me never experiencing what school systems in urban areas were like. This got me thinking: What if I did not grow up in an area with a higher socioeconomic status? How would my education have been? However, many individuals do not have this luxury of getting to wonder, they are having to experience the side effects. Individuals that have a lower socioeconomic status (SES) tend to have poorer education. As a result they tend to not further their education after high school or it becomes a financial burden. In addition, coming from a low SES you don’t have as much access to additional tools such as a tutor, early childhood education(daycare),transportation, textbooks etc. This plays a huge impact on their ability for success in school. Jean Anyon also mentions that additional factors due to a low SES such as poor housing, access to food, stressed parents all also play a role on a student's ability for success in school. To put an end to these harmful factors, policy changes are needed to be made. To start discrimination of housing needs to be stopped. As I mentioned earlier, housing plays a huge role in a child's education. Not only does it affect them physically and mentally it also prohibits them from being in what is known as the “nicer” school districts. If there was no discrimination in housing there would be a better opportunity for all SES to have equal educational opportunities. Additionally, having more early childhood programs for low income households would give them a stronger head start at their education. 

Questions/comments to share: 

What are some other policies that would benefit the lower SES with better education?What are some ways that we can provide additional resources such as food that benefit those with lower incomes?

The Broken Model by Sal Khan and A Short History of Public Schooling

The Broken Model by Sal Khan and A Short History of Public Schooling

Reflection:

After reading The Broken Model by Sal Khan and watching A Short History of Public Schooling it made me consider the changes that need to be made in today’s current public schools. As Khan explained, what is now considered the “normal” once wasn't even a societal concept. Before schooling children were learning at home by doing tasks with their parents, they learned to express themselves in many different ways. However, over time we created a test driven school system. Learning was no longer about many different aspects such as music, arts, and physical abilities. It is now about how well you do on state testing such as the SATS which is reading and math based. This then put students into boxes of whether they were intellectual or not based on their test scores. However, this does not define all students' intellectual abilities. Many students have other strengths that do not pertain to reading and math tests. This connects to Gadner's Multiple Theories of Intelligences which is eight different intelligences that suit individuals strengths. These intelligences are;linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. I believe that these eight different intelligences should become the premise of all public school systems. This would then put an end to students being put into boxes. In addition to this benefiting the students it also would benefit the teachers. Instead of teachers having to follow a strict lesson plan to “teach to the test” they would have more educational freedom. This would bring more fun and interaction into the classrooms. Connecting this back to Khan’s article it may seem like it is difficult to change the “norm” however, the norm wasn’t always there it was created. We can do the same to further change the public schools to better fit everyone's learning and intelligence.

Reflection/Questions/Comments to share: 

What are ways that we can change the school systems to allow all eight intelligences to be incorporated? What would you like to see change in the public schools? 

Blog #1 Privilege Power and Difference by Alan Johnson

Reflection:

    Reading the piece Privilege Power and Difference by Alan Johnson sparked my desire to get all of society to work together to put an end to all forms of discrimination and inequalities. I know from my perspective I have not had many experiences with discrimination and inequalities as a white, middle class, woman. However, just because I am not faced with these challenges does not mean I should not also take action. On page seven and eight Johnson states examples of times he has experienced privilege “The simple truth is that when I go shopping, I’ll probably get waited on faster and better than she will. I’ll benefit from the cultural assumption that I’m a serious customer who doesn’t need to be followed around to keep me from stealing something. The clerk won’t ask me for three kinds of ID before accepting my check or accepting my credit card. But all these indignities that my whiteness protects me from are part of her everyday existence.” (pg 7-8). This quote stuck out to me because it showed multiple everyday privileges that many individuals, myself included, take for granted. Many individuals who are known as the “perfect american” (white, upper class, male) struggle to see the privileges that they have on an everyday basis. Alan Johnson brought this up in his article to show the need for action to be taken place to get past these stereotypical societal norms. As Johnson explained earlier on in his writing this is not putting blame on any certain group however, if we are not all taking action collectively as a society then we are not going to be able to put an end to the inequalities for others. In one of my former classes; Women in Philosophy, I was privileged to learn about the bird cage theory. 

    The bird cage theory is that those who are being oppressed are known as being on the inside of the “bird cage” wanting to become free and have the same privileges as the birds who don’t have to be caged. However, the birds that are not inside the bird cage do not realize the extent of the oppression that they are faced with. This then results in the free birds not taking any action into freeing the caged birds. Therefore those who are being oppressed are not freed from the “cage”. This connects back to everyone being on different extents of oppression and even though it may not affect us directly we still need to take action to put the end to the oppression for others.    

Reflection/Questions/Comments to share:    

     A question I would like to discuss in class is: how can we all as a society take action to put an end to oppression for all individuals? What are some steps you can take as a student to be a part of this change? As I discussed earlier even if the oppression may not be affecting you directly it may be a part of someone's everyday life. Even just starting by speaking out such as Alan Johnson is a start to putting an end to oppression for others.