I went to see Bill Ayers speak at the Diversity Conference on Friday, February 23rd. One thing Bill said that has really stuck with me is "Teaching at its best allows humans to become more powerful." For me, that sums up exactly why I want to become a teacher. I want children to be able to feel like they have the ability to do something with their lives, to be something great. My ideal job would be a literacy teacher in first or second grade. Literacy is perhaps the most powerful tool in becoming what is considered "successful" in today's world.
At this point in our schooling, I think we all kind of take reading for granted. But if we really stop to think about it, would any of us be here right now if we were not literate? Not only do I want to give students the gift of reading, but I also want to help them to LOVE reading. Kids these days are so fixated on movies, TV shows, playstations, and ipods. To me, nothing is better then being so absorbed in a book that I have to finish reading it before I go to sleep. If I could instill even a bit of my passion for books into my students, I will consider myself a successful teacher.
Did any of you attend the conference? What are your thoughts?
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
How far have we come since 1963?
There was a lot we didn't get to last week with regard to the articles we read about race and racism. We had a pretty good discussion about the Tatum article--especially the metaphor of the moving walkway, and how we all get pulled toward the racism that permeates society unless we take steps to actively move against it (by being anti-racist). Still, we didn't even touch on the Baldwin or Cashin pieces, and while we'll try to give them some time next week, I thought I'd post a couple questions here to see if they generate any discussion.
Baldwin wrote "A Talk to Teachers" in 1963. He writes of the miseducation of Black children in schools, and of a society that professes equality for all but that in reality is hostile to African Americans. "A black child," he writes, "looking at the world around him, though he cannot know quite what to make of it, is aware that there is a reason why his mother works so hard, why his father is always on edge....And it isn't long--in fact it begins when he is in school--before he discovers the shape of his oppression."
How relevant or outdated is Baldwin's commentary on America's racial landscape? Do you think his critique and his advice to teachers still resonate today, and if so, how? If not, why not?
Sheryll Cashin, writing over 40 years after Baldwin and a year after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, says that while much has changed for African Americans since the Civil Rights movement, vast inequities persist--particularly in racially isolated inner cities. Cashin says that while many White people have no problem relating to African Americans on an individual level, they fear Black people in large numbers--especially "the Black ghetto." Do you agree with this assessment, and if so, what are the implications for urban schools?
If neither of these questons interests you, see recent posts (below) by Dakota, Trish, and Dave, and Katie's response to my "More on whites and racism" post.
Baldwin wrote "A Talk to Teachers" in 1963. He writes of the miseducation of Black children in schools, and of a society that professes equality for all but that in reality is hostile to African Americans. "A black child," he writes, "looking at the world around him, though he cannot know quite what to make of it, is aware that there is a reason why his mother works so hard, why his father is always on edge....And it isn't long--in fact it begins when he is in school--before he discovers the shape of his oppression."
How relevant or outdated is Baldwin's commentary on America's racial landscape? Do you think his critique and his advice to teachers still resonate today, and if so, how? If not, why not?
Sheryll Cashin, writing over 40 years after Baldwin and a year after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, says that while much has changed for African Americans since the Civil Rights movement, vast inequities persist--particularly in racially isolated inner cities. Cashin says that while many White people have no problem relating to African Americans on an individual level, they fear Black people in large numbers--especially "the Black ghetto." Do you agree with this assessment, and if so, what are the implications for urban schools?
If neither of these questons interests you, see recent posts (below) by Dakota, Trish, and Dave, and Katie's response to my "More on whites and racism" post.
"People of Color"
I’ve been thinking a lot about last class lately- mostly about the labels we use to identify people according to their race and/or ethnicity. I have a lot running through my mind, and I was hoping that some of you would respond with comments or clarifications. Sometimes I feel very lost…here is what I mean by that:
When we talked about filling in circles about race on tests/applications/etc I usually don’t fill in anything, not only because I don’t believe that I should be categorized in such circumstances, but because I don’t really know where I belong.
I love it when people ask about me…they usually have no idea what I am, and I am happy to clarify that to those people curious enough to actually ask. I love my cultural background and I love the fact that I feel so connected to it. But, many people do not know. Many do not ask; many are ignorant to the fact that people like me exist-people who are considered “Other” without anymore explanation.
When 9/11 occurred, my mother had to put a large American Flag sticker on her car so that it would be avoided when people were egging “terrorist” cars. In school, I was considered an “A-rab” [sic]. The people who knew my mother was from Iraq automatically connected me to being a follower of Saddam. I was asked where my towel was, whether Saddam was a relative, whether I celebrated Christmas or Easter. In the airport, my family is the first to be pulled out of line and searched. These are the most recent treatments I have gone through, but I’ve had similar experiences since the time I moved out of Chicago into the suburbs. No one knew what “kind of people we were.” I used to hate looking the way I do; I still struggle with the same issues I did when I was seven. The amount of harassment that Middle Easterners have to go through is an issue that oftentimes gets overlooked- yes, it’s in the news, but it’s often negative and they usually show “my people” running around without any shoes, burning American Flags-basically animals who walk upright. The War in Iraq is not only in Iraq…9/11 has not gone away…I am still the girl that is different from everyone else- even in our C&I class. I know there is a fairly large group of Middle Easterners in Urban schools- all my cousins (first second, third cousins) went to school in inner city Chicago. When do those issues get brought up in a way that people can openly discuss what is going on? Am I missing or wrong about the issues I am having?
When we talk about “people of color in class” I am usually hopeful that I am considered somewhere in there, but even then many of us continue with, “Hispanic, Black, Latino.” I can’t help but to wonder, “What about everyone else?” I know that the above mentioned make up what would be (I guess) the “majority of the minority” (ironic, I know) and I know we can not possibly touch on every culture, race, ethnic group, but I think that a lot of issues are being ignored when we don’t take into account that “people of color” is also a label that needs to be defined as well.
So in closing: When you hear “people of color” who do you think about? Is it a safe way to label such a variety of individuals? When our students have come to us, just as I have today, and ask you, “Where do I belong?” how will you react?
When we talked about filling in circles about race on tests/applications/etc I usually don’t fill in anything, not only because I don’t believe that I should be categorized in such circumstances, but because I don’t really know where I belong.
I love it when people ask about me…they usually have no idea what I am, and I am happy to clarify that to those people curious enough to actually ask. I love my cultural background and I love the fact that I feel so connected to it. But, many people do not know. Many do not ask; many are ignorant to the fact that people like me exist-people who are considered “Other” without anymore explanation.
When 9/11 occurred, my mother had to put a large American Flag sticker on her car so that it would be avoided when people were egging “terrorist” cars. In school, I was considered an “A-rab” [sic]. The people who knew my mother was from Iraq automatically connected me to being a follower of Saddam. I was asked where my towel was, whether Saddam was a relative, whether I celebrated Christmas or Easter. In the airport, my family is the first to be pulled out of line and searched. These are the most recent treatments I have gone through, but I’ve had similar experiences since the time I moved out of Chicago into the suburbs. No one knew what “kind of people we were.” I used to hate looking the way I do; I still struggle with the same issues I did when I was seven. The amount of harassment that Middle Easterners have to go through is an issue that oftentimes gets overlooked- yes, it’s in the news, but it’s often negative and they usually show “my people” running around without any shoes, burning American Flags-basically animals who walk upright. The War in Iraq is not only in Iraq…9/11 has not gone away…I am still the girl that is different from everyone else- even in our C&I class. I know there is a fairly large group of Middle Easterners in Urban schools- all my cousins (first second, third cousins) went to school in inner city Chicago. When do those issues get brought up in a way that people can openly discuss what is going on? Am I missing or wrong about the issues I am having?
When we talk about “people of color in class” I am usually hopeful that I am considered somewhere in there, but even then many of us continue with, “Hispanic, Black, Latino.” I can’t help but to wonder, “What about everyone else?” I know that the above mentioned make up what would be (I guess) the “majority of the minority” (ironic, I know) and I know we can not possibly touch on every culture, race, ethnic group, but I think that a lot of issues are being ignored when we don’t take into account that “people of color” is also a label that needs to be defined as well.
So in closing: When you hear “people of color” who do you think about? Is it a safe way to label such a variety of individuals? When our students have come to us, just as I have today, and ask you, “Where do I belong?” how will you react?
Interesting Connections
This isn't related directly to the class but I thought it was a good piece to share with some people.
This past Saturday a teacher panel from Urban Teaching backgrounds spoke about their experiences to a crowd of students. One teacher who taught elementary students on the west side of Chicago said to us "They're just kids."
This comment was in response to the misconstrued fear weaved by the ignorant. The fears that all inner-city are in gangs. The fear that all inner-city kids will steal your wallet, purse or car. The fear that when inner-city kids speak another language, their talking about you. She was responding to a situation where a first grader stenciled a crown on her folder. Since this is a common gang symbol in their neighborhood they wanted to remove the girl from the class and give her some type of punishment. The teacher asked to wait and talked to the girl about the crowns. It turns out that on the very folder that she stenciled on was the same crown. The first grader liked it so much that she wanted to try and draw it.
"They're just kids."
I just finished watching a documentary called Born into Brothels. It's about children born into the brothels of Calcutta and how they live. I really liked this film and want to recommend it to everyone. What I liked about it was the fact that it showed the kids being kids.
Yes it showed the difficult lives they had but the film did not dwell on it. The majority of the film consists of these children laughing, talking, playing and taking photos. It shows us that even though we, as Westerners, see these "major" social issues, see the disparity of these children's lives, see the frustrations of those who try and help, these children still grow and live like children.
They still played with each other. They still were fascinated by new things. They still wanted to learn and be doctors and lawyers when they grow up. They still wanted the best for their family. They still wanted to have fun.
"They're just kids."
This past Saturday a teacher panel from Urban Teaching backgrounds spoke about their experiences to a crowd of students. One teacher who taught elementary students on the west side of Chicago said to us "They're just kids."
This comment was in response to the misconstrued fear weaved by the ignorant. The fears that all inner-city are in gangs. The fear that all inner-city kids will steal your wallet, purse or car. The fear that when inner-city kids speak another language, their talking about you. She was responding to a situation where a first grader stenciled a crown on her folder. Since this is a common gang symbol in their neighborhood they wanted to remove the girl from the class and give her some type of punishment. The teacher asked to wait and talked to the girl about the crowns. It turns out that on the very folder that she stenciled on was the same crown. The first grader liked it so much that she wanted to try and draw it.
"They're just kids."
I just finished watching a documentary called Born into Brothels. It's about children born into the brothels of Calcutta and how they live. I really liked this film and want to recommend it to everyone. What I liked about it was the fact that it showed the kids being kids.
Yes it showed the difficult lives they had but the film did not dwell on it. The majority of the film consists of these children laughing, talking, playing and taking photos. It shows us that even though we, as Westerners, see these "major" social issues, see the disparity of these children's lives, see the frustrations of those who try and help, these children still grow and live like children.
They still played with each other. They still were fascinated by new things. They still wanted to learn and be doctors and lawyers when they grow up. They still wanted the best for their family. They still wanted to have fun.
"They're just kids."
Thursday, February 22, 2007
More on whites and racism
A clarification to my comment on David's "Defining Racism" post (below):
I agreed with David that questions of race and racism can get overwhelming, "especially," I wrote, "for those of us who are white and who benefit from white privilege in this society." What I meant is that for those of us who have lived our lives without experiencing much (or any) racism directed toward us, actually thinking about how race works in society can be a daunting and uncomfortable task. For some, it's easier to remain in denial.
I should have added, though, that whatever psychic discomfort whites experience when thinking about racism pales in comparison to the psychic, emotional, economic, and sometimes physical pain that people of color experience when confronted with racism in their daily lives.
There's a big difference between the two.
I agreed with David that questions of race and racism can get overwhelming, "especially," I wrote, "for those of us who are white and who benefit from white privilege in this society." What I meant is that for those of us who have lived our lives without experiencing much (or any) racism directed toward us, actually thinking about how race works in society can be a daunting and uncomfortable task. For some, it's easier to remain in denial.
I should have added, though, that whatever psychic discomfort whites experience when thinking about racism pales in comparison to the psychic, emotional, economic, and sometimes physical pain that people of color experience when confronted with racism in their daily lives.
There's a big difference between the two.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Another Reaction to Juvies
Juvies was a very serious film and for me it was hard to take that all in. I mean I know some people personally who are in jail but knowing that these kids are getting 30 years or life is completely overwhelming to me. I think as teachers we need to make sure that we are there for our students and that they know this themselves because it might be possible for us to help them.
The movie also made me think about one of my friends who I worked with who is currently in jail. He was a great guy who had got out of the whole gang scene when I had met him. When he told me stories about things that had happened and about his friends who were still in the gang, he always seemed to go back and forth between the things that he liked about being in the gang to the things that he was glad he wasn't a part of anymore. And this may sound totally corny but when we talked I felt like I was one of his ways out. Like I was one of those people who he could trust and connect with who actually cared about listening to his problems and trying to help him out or direct him in the opposite way of the gang. We kept in touch, but when I came back here to school I found out that he had rejoined the gang he had been apart of before. And he got into a really bad fight with guns and what not and went to jail.
The point of my little story is that I know as teachers we may not be able to be as close with the students as we are with our friends like I was with mine. But we do need to let them know that we are there for them, another outlet to help them. I guess I just felt when this happened to my friend, that I didn't fail him really because I tried to helping him and what not but it seemed more that everyone else around him had failed him. And then when I was gone there was only his other friends who were still part of this gang to be friends with and thats why he went back because there wasn't anyone else willing to help. So as teachers, with certain limitations we can be a big help and set kids in a successful direction.
I guess I just feel that we need to be supportive so our future students make good choices. In some ways maybe even trying to make other teachers who might already have bad perceptions on certain kids, see that these kids can change for the better but they also can't always do it by themselves. They need the confidence to change without being constantly reminded on how they are always being labeled by everyone else, especially if it isn't a good label. They need to know that there are people who care about them and their future, otherwise they could resort to other options that are in reach that may not be the best choice for them.
The movie also made me think about one of my friends who I worked with who is currently in jail. He was a great guy who had got out of the whole gang scene when I had met him. When he told me stories about things that had happened and about his friends who were still in the gang, he always seemed to go back and forth between the things that he liked about being in the gang to the things that he was glad he wasn't a part of anymore. And this may sound totally corny but when we talked I felt like I was one of his ways out. Like I was one of those people who he could trust and connect with who actually cared about listening to his problems and trying to help him out or direct him in the opposite way of the gang. We kept in touch, but when I came back here to school I found out that he had rejoined the gang he had been apart of before. And he got into a really bad fight with guns and what not and went to jail.
The point of my little story is that I know as teachers we may not be able to be as close with the students as we are with our friends like I was with mine. But we do need to let them know that we are there for them, another outlet to help them. I guess I just felt when this happened to my friend, that I didn't fail him really because I tried to helping him and what not but it seemed more that everyone else around him had failed him. And then when I was gone there was only his other friends who were still part of this gang to be friends with and thats why he went back because there wasn't anyone else willing to help. So as teachers, with certain limitations we can be a big help and set kids in a successful direction.
I guess I just feel that we need to be supportive so our future students make good choices. In some ways maybe even trying to make other teachers who might already have bad perceptions on certain kids, see that these kids can change for the better but they also can't always do it by themselves. They need the confidence to change without being constantly reminded on how they are always being labeled by everyone else, especially if it isn't a good label. They need to know that there are people who care about them and their future, otherwise they could resort to other options that are in reach that may not be the best choice for them.
Friday, February 16, 2007
'Defining Racism'
I may be jumping the gun a little bit, but I started to read the articles for next week and I feel a bit compelled to talk about it early.
I mean, it's obvious that we're all taking this class because we're intersted in teaching in urban areas, and of course it means that we also have to come to terms with racial issues and sterotypes and things of that nature, and overcome them.
I think this class is a wonderful first step, but I'm going to honest and say that it's a little bit overwhelming.
Starting out on the defining racism article the quotes "Oh, is there still racism?" and "But in fact, in almost every audience I address, there is someone who will suggest that racism is a thing of the past," got me thinking.
I know that I aspire to be above and beyond all this racism stuff, but the more I read these articles, the more I realize that I'm falling a bit short. Not to say that I'm some sort of bigot, but the more of these articles I read, the more my ignorance of this subject and these sorts of situations is revealed.
It's a good thing, it means I'm learning something.
And, as G.I. Joe says, "knowing is half the battle".
But, in this case, what accounts for the other 50%?
Reading these articles is an eye opening experience. I mean, some of this stuff isn't exactly new to me, but to actually sit down and pay direct attention to it is. Learning about this stuff is definately necessary, but I suppose it has me a little bit worried too. It feels like there is more I should be doing, but I'm not exactly sure I know what that is.
Obviously there is no quick fix, no easy sollution. There is no test or activity you can perform in and instantly find yourself no longer contributing to the biased and bigotted system we live in. This whole issue is far more complicated and complex than that, and thats one of the things that has me worried.
It makes me thing first off, can I teach these kids.
And secondly, should I?
Not from any deficiency on their part, but on mine.
Of course, I have these concerns and they are very real, but I'm not going to let them get the best of me. I'm not going to give up, in fact its these sorts of very real concerns I have, that makes me want to try ever harder.
Going backto the "A Talk With Teacher's" Article, another quote stood out.
" I began by saying that one of the paradoxes of education was that precisely at the point when you begin to develop a conscience, you must find yourself at war with your society,"
Which is something that I think is very true, but it's very scary at the same time. How does one put themselves in the position of being 'at war with society' and remain optimistic as opposed to winding up cynical and jaded, as thats not going to be much help to anyone.
(One of the saddest things about the work Kurt Vonnegut has been doing lately, is that he lost his optimism and has grown very cynical and bitter, and it's just depressing.)
Anyhow,
I feel like I just said a whole lot of random things, but I feel better at least about getting it out there. Feel free to comment. It would be nice to know that I'm not the only one worried about this stuff (or that i'm being paraniod for no reason).
I mean, it's obvious that we're all taking this class because we're intersted in teaching in urban areas, and of course it means that we also have to come to terms with racial issues and sterotypes and things of that nature, and overcome them.
I think this class is a wonderful first step, but I'm going to honest and say that it's a little bit overwhelming.
Starting out on the defining racism article the quotes "Oh, is there still racism?" and "But in fact, in almost every audience I address, there is someone who will suggest that racism is a thing of the past," got me thinking.
I know that I aspire to be above and beyond all this racism stuff, but the more I read these articles, the more I realize that I'm falling a bit short. Not to say that I'm some sort of bigot, but the more of these articles I read, the more my ignorance of this subject and these sorts of situations is revealed.
It's a good thing, it means I'm learning something.
And, as G.I. Joe says, "knowing is half the battle".
But, in this case, what accounts for the other 50%?
Reading these articles is an eye opening experience. I mean, some of this stuff isn't exactly new to me, but to actually sit down and pay direct attention to it is. Learning about this stuff is definately necessary, but I suppose it has me a little bit worried too. It feels like there is more I should be doing, but I'm not exactly sure I know what that is.
Obviously there is no quick fix, no easy sollution. There is no test or activity you can perform in and instantly find yourself no longer contributing to the biased and bigotted system we live in. This whole issue is far more complicated and complex than that, and thats one of the things that has me worried.
It makes me thing first off, can I teach these kids.
And secondly, should I?
Not from any deficiency on their part, but on mine.
Of course, I have these concerns and they are very real, but I'm not going to let them get the best of me. I'm not going to give up, in fact its these sorts of very real concerns I have, that makes me want to try ever harder.
Going backto the "A Talk With Teacher's" Article, another quote stood out.
" I began by saying that one of the paradoxes of education was that precisely at the point when you begin to develop a conscience, you must find yourself at war with your society,"
Which is something that I think is very true, but it's very scary at the same time. How does one put themselves in the position of being 'at war with society' and remain optimistic as opposed to winding up cynical and jaded, as thats not going to be much help to anyone.
(One of the saddest things about the work Kurt Vonnegut has been doing lately, is that he lost his optimism and has grown very cynical and bitter, and it's just depressing.)
Anyhow,
I feel like I just said a whole lot of random things, but I feel better at least about getting it out there. Feel free to comment. It would be nice to know that I'm not the only one worried about this stuff (or that i'm being paraniod for no reason).
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Reaction to "Juvies" video
I think that watching the "Juvies" video was an eye opener for many people, especially for those who have never known anyone who had similiar experiences in Juvenile detetention facilities. This may be the case, particularly for people who have grown up in suburbs where there isn't as much violence and as many gangs. We have learned from reading and our own experiences that drugs, gangs, violence, etc exists in any type of area, not just inner cities. However, the problems are more prevalent in inner cities, therefore one would think that more people living in those areas would have a greater background knowledge and/or know a young person who faced jail time for those problem-related activities. Either way it's interesting to hear the teenagers themselves in the video discuss their situation and their hand in the crimes committed. It is also good for viewers to see that some of the teenagers in jail are or were at one time good kids with good intentions. An example is the boy, Duc, who faced jail time because he got mixed up with the wrong crowd. Before watching the video, I hadn't been aware of a gang association law, which can convict young people if they befriended a gang member and was present at the time a crime was committted. He was in the car with a gang member that shot and killed someone, yet he is facing up to 30 years or close to it. It says something about the juvenile system and how it effects the lives of such young kids, for the long term. I was relieved to hear that Duc later got a sentence reduction,but one still has to consider other kids like him going through the same situations.
As for the other kids in the video, some of their sentences may have been justified due to the seriousness of their crimes. However, when such young people are in the same prisons as adults they are susceptible to even more dangerous activity. For example,drugs start to play a role in the lives of people who may not have been using drugs prior and with more frequence as well. This is why I think that teenagers should not be in adult prisons to begin with. The adult prisons often don't assist in the rehibilitation of young people, as we learned in the video. The question of whether to try teenagers as adults is complex and muti-faceted. On the one hand, families who have lost their own children at the hands of other children have every right to want justice. They are going to want long sentences and harsh conditions because their own children do not get to live the rest of their lives. On the other hand, can we just throw away these teenagers in an adult prison with dangerous criminals to fend for themselves? The question is not easy to answer,which is why debates over whether to try teenagers as adults are ever present. The problem is not black and white and I personally believe that it gets harder when deciding where to draw the line. Has a 16 year-old developed the same cognitively as an 11-year old? No, however, because of life experiences, a 14 year-old may be more mature than an 18 year-old.
For teachers ,these issues may appear in classrooms where a child may have an older sibling, parent, friend, or other family member who is in jail or prison. Teachers need to realize this and take this into account when determining possible reasons for behavior changes. These problems at home, of course make school learning difficult. School work may not be considered as important because of the immediacy of the problems. Teachers need to be supportive, but also careful not to intrude too much in the lives of their students, which is not an easy task. I think it's important that students just know that you are there for them and in extreme cases other school personell may need to step in for assistance.
As for the other kids in the video, some of their sentences may have been justified due to the seriousness of their crimes. However, when such young people are in the same prisons as adults they are susceptible to even more dangerous activity. For example,drugs start to play a role in the lives of people who may not have been using drugs prior and with more frequence as well. This is why I think that teenagers should not be in adult prisons to begin with. The adult prisons often don't assist in the rehibilitation of young people, as we learned in the video. The question of whether to try teenagers as adults is complex and muti-faceted. On the one hand, families who have lost their own children at the hands of other children have every right to want justice. They are going to want long sentences and harsh conditions because their own children do not get to live the rest of their lives. On the other hand, can we just throw away these teenagers in an adult prison with dangerous criminals to fend for themselves? The question is not easy to answer,which is why debates over whether to try teenagers as adults are ever present. The problem is not black and white and I personally believe that it gets harder when deciding where to draw the line. Has a 16 year-old developed the same cognitively as an 11-year old? No, however, because of life experiences, a 14 year-old may be more mature than an 18 year-old.
For teachers ,these issues may appear in classrooms where a child may have an older sibling, parent, friend, or other family member who is in jail or prison. Teachers need to realize this and take this into account when determining possible reasons for behavior changes. These problems at home, of course make school learning difficult. School work may not be considered as important because of the immediacy of the problems. Teachers need to be supportive, but also careful not to intrude too much in the lives of their students, which is not an easy task. I think it's important that students just know that you are there for them and in extreme cases other school personell may need to step in for assistance.
Monday, February 12, 2007
One strike and you're out
Based on what you read in the Schwartz & Rieser piece (and your own experiences), what do you think of "zero tolerance" policies in schools? What should the goal of school disciplinary policies be? When rules are broken, is it a time to punish? A teachable moment? Both?
Also...
The film Juvies has a lot to say about the juvenile justice system and treating kids as "lost causes." What does it have to say to teachers or future teachers--particularly to teachers in city schools?
Also...
The film Juvies has a lot to say about the juvenile justice system and treating kids as "lost causes." What does it have to say to teachers or future teachers--particularly to teachers in city schools?
Sunday, February 11, 2007
CPS threatens to close innovative school
The Chicago board of education is threatening to close an innovative small high school that I've worked with over the past few years. I wrote about it in the Sun-Times yesterday. Click here if you're interested in learning more.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Video
I strongly believe that there is a difference between having youth and adults in jail. I do feel that someone who is constantly molesting children should rot in jail, i don't understand how someone can be so sick as to prey on little children. I do feel that people who have done wrong should get counseling because there is still hope for them. But i also believe that things should be taken case by case because every one's situations are different. There is no reason that a teenager especially one that hasn't reached puberty yet should be in prison for fifty years. Psychologically they are not even fully development to be put in situations like that. In the video it seems that prison does not help the majority of the people in there because they are in a constant battle for their life. For instance for the child to get raped on a regular basis by her father she needs counseling not to be thrown in jail. Things such as that can alter your entire life. She has not even been able to enjoy her childhood having a life such as the one that she had it is hard to stay on the straight and narrow because she has no outlet. She didn't even feel comfortable talking to her mother about the situation. Also i feel that children should not be portrayed in the media like that. So youth may get the wrong impression when they see a child going off to jail. There also should be programs for children whose parents are in the system or are in jail. Programs that will teach and lead them in the right direction and show them that the streets doesn't have to be an option.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Picking up loose ends from class
I tend to over-plan for classes, so sometimes (former students of mine might say most times) we won't get to everything on the agenda. One function of this blog, then, will be to provide an opportunity for us to pick up loose ends from our previous class. Here are a few threads--feel free to respond.
- I'm curious to get responses to the letter from a Native American mother that Ayers reprints on pages 39-40. What was your initial reaction after reading it? What can we learn from it? How do you think this letter is relevant, if at all, to our study of city schools?
- We talked a lot in class about Ayers' notion of "seeing the student." In the excerpt you read from Push, a novel by Sapphire, you were introduced to 16-year-old Precious Jones. How do you think Precious's former teachers (before she came to the alternative school) saw her? What do you think they didn't see, and why?
- In the excerpt from Our America, LeAlan Jones writes about growing up poor on Chicago's south side. What in his account stood out to you or surprised you? How does LeAlan's portrayal of his own experiences differ from Hollywood or meainstream media portrayals of the lives of city kids?
If none of these questions interest you, check out some of your classmates' recent posts and give us your take on the issues they raise or the questions they pose.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
The First Year Part II
This was part of an article in the USA Today Posted 8/18/2005
"More teachers, it seems, are ready to leave their schools behind. Forty percent of public school teachers plan to exit the profession within five years, the highest rate since at least 1990, according to a study being released Thursday."
This film gave us a great example that could cause a dedicated teacher, Maurice, to possibly fall into this statistic. Without the help, or feeling of it, from your school system can cause discouragement. Here was a teacher that put forth his time and effort, which for a first year teacher could be very difficult, to get a student the help that they needed. After all his efforts and finally getting the student to the speech therapist nothing came from it. Maurice went as far as trying to get services around the community for the student. When all failed he did the best he could to provide the student the extra help himself. This is not uncommon in the education profession and can make people very distraught with the system; on the other hand, it could also be motivation for a teacher to try to make a change and get things turned around. I hope for that school that Maurice was motivated by this and has stayed with the profession. I think a lot of good teachers move on to other professions and it is a shame. People come out of school and get that first job thinking that they are going to change the world. I wish it were true, not to sound cynical, but it isn't the way it works. I know that I have not been in that situation but I have been in similar and it sucks when you lose that fire. WE as future teachers need to understand that there are going to be things that makes us angry with the system and that we don't understand how a kid can go without services, but it is our job to give them the best that we can and try to make a difference. Tonight in class I heard someone say the students want a voice, as teachers we also need to have a voice, that voice is what is going to make the changes as enable the students to gain theirs.
"More teachers, it seems, are ready to leave their schools behind. Forty percent of public school teachers plan to exit the profession within five years, the highest rate since at least 1990, according to a study being released Thursday."
This film gave us a great example that could cause a dedicated teacher, Maurice, to possibly fall into this statistic. Without the help, or feeling of it, from your school system can cause discouragement. Here was a teacher that put forth his time and effort, which for a first year teacher could be very difficult, to get a student the help that they needed. After all his efforts and finally getting the student to the speech therapist nothing came from it. Maurice went as far as trying to get services around the community for the student. When all failed he did the best he could to provide the student the extra help himself. This is not uncommon in the education profession and can make people very distraught with the system; on the other hand, it could also be motivation for a teacher to try to make a change and get things turned around. I hope for that school that Maurice was motivated by this and has stayed with the profession. I think a lot of good teachers move on to other professions and it is a shame. People come out of school and get that first job thinking that they are going to change the world. I wish it were true, not to sound cynical, but it isn't the way it works. I know that I have not been in that situation but I have been in similar and it sucks when you lose that fire. WE as future teachers need to understand that there are going to be things that makes us angry with the system and that we don't understand how a kid can go without services, but it is our job to give them the best that we can and try to make a difference. Tonight in class I heard someone say the students want a voice, as teachers we also need to have a voice, that voice is what is going to make the changes as enable the students to gain theirs.
Reactions and Thoughts to Part II
I have so many thoughts about this part II of the film. Some are small, like...
Did anyone else feel some type of connection between the whistle in the film when the students were in a fight and the stereotypes of Gestapo? Maybe that is just the way my mind works, and trust me I AM NOT TRYING TO SAY OUR SCHOOLS ARE ANYTHING LIKE THE JEWISH GHETTOS, but I just found that distant whistle sound to be characteristic of a different time period...I'm probably alone on that one.
Or
How about the phrase "my kids". The teacher that commented on the playground (Maurice?) kept on referring to his students as "my kids". It brings back another question asked to me and many of my colleagues long ago: "Do you as a teacher need to love every student?" I might have confused the phrasing of that question but that was the idea behind it. Thoughts?
Or
Did anyone else have an issue with the way the Speech Specialist was talking to the student she was assessing. Sure he is in kindergarten, but I think he should be talked to like a human being and not as a baby. Especially coming from a Speech professional, developing good speaking skills is both listening and speaking. Is this another example of teachers having lower expectations for their students? Obviously Maurice had no problem communicating with his student.
More "Heavy" Questions:
One teacher in the film mentions that she has a hard time creating a rhythm for her class. She mentions that it is difficult because one day is great, the next is OK and the next is horrible. My question is what role should consistency play in our classrooms? Surely school provides some type of "grounding" needed by many children. School is often the place where they can leave the harsh realities of the world outside and come into a consistent, safe and, hopefully, educational "home". Is too much consistency a bad thing? What about that history teacher that only produces worksheets and lectures? What about us as teachers? Of course were going to have outside issues that will inevitably come into the classroom. What role and to what degree should consistency play in our school/classroom/band room/theatre/community/lives/curriculum/etc.
What do you do when you have that student that always laughs at your point? This thought was triggered by the one student who kept laughing after the guest speakers mentioned that he wouldn't be laughing if is brother, mother or other family members died. He just kept laughing. I saw the guest speaker try to engage with the student and tell him that he would not be laughing but the speaker gave up and disengaged after he realized the student kept laughing. I have pulled that same move before. Just this summer I had a camper at a camp I worked at that made fun of some of his fellow campers. When I talked with him, I asked him "Would you laugh if someone called you a Quad?" (A quad is something he made up by the way) Sure enough the boy said yes he would. Now me, being inexperienced, caught of guard and well having a slight control issue, came back with a overwhelming..."Yes you would!" Good job Dakota! Touche! Not quite. I ended up just letting him go and telling him not to do it again. I can walk away now reflecting on that situation, kicking myself of course, but what about in the future. How do we drive our points home even though some students are not going to let us in and come back at us with every defense mechanism they have...like laughing?
That's enough for me.
DMP
Did anyone else feel some type of connection between the whistle in the film when the students were in a fight and the stereotypes of Gestapo? Maybe that is just the way my mind works, and trust me I AM NOT TRYING TO SAY OUR SCHOOLS ARE ANYTHING LIKE THE JEWISH GHETTOS, but I just found that distant whistle sound to be characteristic of a different time period...I'm probably alone on that one.
Or
How about the phrase "my kids". The teacher that commented on the playground (Maurice?) kept on referring to his students as "my kids". It brings back another question asked to me and many of my colleagues long ago: "Do you as a teacher need to love every student?" I might have confused the phrasing of that question but that was the idea behind it. Thoughts?
Or
Did anyone else have an issue with the way the Speech Specialist was talking to the student she was assessing. Sure he is in kindergarten, but I think he should be talked to like a human being and not as a baby. Especially coming from a Speech professional, developing good speaking skills is both listening and speaking. Is this another example of teachers having lower expectations for their students? Obviously Maurice had no problem communicating with his student.
More "Heavy" Questions:
One teacher in the film mentions that she has a hard time creating a rhythm for her class. She mentions that it is difficult because one day is great, the next is OK and the next is horrible. My question is what role should consistency play in our classrooms? Surely school provides some type of "grounding" needed by many children. School is often the place where they can leave the harsh realities of the world outside and come into a consistent, safe and, hopefully, educational "home". Is too much consistency a bad thing? What about that history teacher that only produces worksheets and lectures? What about us as teachers? Of course were going to have outside issues that will inevitably come into the classroom. What role and to what degree should consistency play in our school/classroom/band room/theatre/community/lives/curriculum/etc.
What do you do when you have that student that always laughs at your point? This thought was triggered by the one student who kept laughing after the guest speakers mentioned that he wouldn't be laughing if is brother, mother or other family members died. He just kept laughing. I saw the guest speaker try to engage with the student and tell him that he would not be laughing but the speaker gave up and disengaged after he realized the student kept laughing. I have pulled that same move before. Just this summer I had a camper at a camp I worked at that made fun of some of his fellow campers. When I talked with him, I asked him "Would you laugh if someone called you a Quad?" (A quad is something he made up by the way) Sure enough the boy said yes he would. Now me, being inexperienced, caught of guard and well having a slight control issue, came back with a overwhelming..."Yes you would!" Good job Dakota! Touche! Not quite. I ended up just letting him go and telling him not to do it again. I can walk away now reflecting on that situation, kicking myself of course, but what about in the future. How do we drive our points home even though some students are not going to let us in and come back at us with every defense mechanism they have...like laughing?
That's enough for me.
DMP
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