Spring 19-E535 Literacy

In the midst of learning how to teach our students various subject matter (math, science, and literacy), we have also been tasked during this program with learning how to teach for all students, confronting our biases and striving to be culturally relevant. Honestly, I've felt overwhelmed at times and left classes wondering how I could reach ELLs specifically, especially if I do not speak their 1st language. I'm 36, but this is valid. ( Perhaps I'm worrying too much.)  My desire is to incorporate all we have learned about culturally responsive classrooms and create an environment where every student can grow and thrive, no matter their background - and I'm fairly certain this is your desire, as well.  This week's readings gave great insight into ELL students and focused on their literacy development, seeing value in their unique literacy practices - most of which may occur outside of school. Important findings by Mari Haneda in "Becoming Lite...

What will you do to implement the necessary strategies to maintain democracy in your classroom? The reading from Bomer & Bomer lays out a pretty solid foundation for the beginnings of a democratic classroom, and they lead with the understanding that part of our identities come from the communities around us. We learn by experiencing life along with other people, and we can learn from our peers. Think about this for a second. Do you feel the same way? Can you trace some of your most learned experiences to times that you shared either with people or as a by-product of interactions with people?  We've talked many times in class how important it is to establish an environment in your classroom where your students feel safe enough to speak out and feel open enough to share their thoughts and opinions. Community is one of the main tenets of the guidelines in this chapter, along with intention, dialogue, collaboration, and inquiry. But first, the most important part of...

The readings for this week built upon what we have discussed time and time again; students interests and experiences must be considered to meaningfully engage with texts. Bomer took this further by describing classrooms that pursue democratic practices that are student focused. Students participated in deciding how the classroom would be arranged, how they could address behavioral issues and other (radical?) practices. The students in these classrooms were able to identify social problems examining society with a critical lens. They were empowered to act for social change and many of their efforts were met with success. Culturally relevant teaching is built on the premise that we must take the time to know students as individuals to be effective educators. The example described in Removing Barriers ... by Jo Worthy tells of an assumption made by a teacher about one of her students, Sam. She claimed that, "his family probably doesn't read, [he] probably gets no modelin...

“We can’t teach reading with an eye toward social justice if we don’t address both the equity issues and some strategies for working with the students who need the most support.” (Bomer & Bomer, p. 89) Struggling Readers -- “People who, for one reason or another, misapprehended the reading process and have not put a reading system together that adds up to meaning; these are struggling readers.” (p. 89) The current education system and society as a whole, relies so heavily on competition and is results-based, meritocratic. Struggling readers, or struggling (name something), begin to see themselves negatively. Eliminating or at least mitigating tacit conclusions students draw as they compare themselves to other students. When students begin to compare themselves with other students around them – adults do this too – there is significant chance that the students struggling can gain a negative idea about themselves. They can lose confidence and self-worth and they are likely to...

"While numbers work pretty well for communicating certain kinds of precise information, we have kept words around for their evocative, emotive, associative power." (Wilson, 63) Throughout this week's readings, Woodard, Coppola, and Wilson discussed the importance of using words and reflective feedback rather than standardized automated rubrics. Woodard and Coppola discuss the benefits of appreciative feedback in response to students' poetry and spoken word performance. Using poetry and spoken word performance, students were able to explore "various aspects of students' cultures and identities by positioning contemporary and canonical poetry alongside one another" (Woodard and Coppola, 62). This transition from traditional poetry with a silent audience to a performance which fosters audience engagement and asks for active feedback from fellow students. How does incorporating fellow students' appreciative feedback prove more beneficial for wri...

"When students engage with texts allowing them to recognize aspects of their own plight in the lives of characters, they can be extended an invitation to release and relieve (Hill, 2009)" (Taylor, 2018).    Student lived realities outside of school challenge them every day in the classroom.   "Teachers and students bear scars from suffering in various forms. The reality is that many external factors, such as socioeconomic status and racism, are all working against students." (Taylor, 2018).   It's up to us as future educators to unpack these experiences and use them as a tool to release the hidden but impactful information inside our students.  These lived realities in our students provide opportunity for them to open up and curb the way they seen education. If we continue to let standardized rubrics and traditional lesson plans drive our teaching, it will be detrimental to our students achievement.  I know from past experience, I have felt  ...

“There are literally young black boys who have never seen a black man reading.” Alvin Irby by Jay Imagine entering your literacy class and dreading every second of the time you are in this prison of a classroom.  Classrooms that are not culturally sustaining assimilate into these prisons for many African American males, because of internal and external factors.  The following list form Tatum shows  “several factors that serve as barriers to achievement for African American males” (Tatum, 2006, P. 44)   Internal Factors:                                   External factors self-concept                              ...