I must admit that I had some reservations coming into this class...the thought of reflecting for everyone to view and then recording my voice for everyone to view was not my cup of tea. Also, I felt that I would not learn as much by not being able to meet on a weekly basis. (Rather, just posting to each other's blog as a form of discussion and interaction) YET. I will say that I am very glad I took this class...it was different, and that's probably why it was hard to adjust to at first. I learned what blogging and podcasting were really all about, and I do feel that I was able to interact with others...not by seeing them by but truly knowing them for their words. In a class discussion, I think before speaking, but when you have to write something down and it's somewhat permanent, a lot more thought goes into the writing. Also, it was nice to see what people had to say in response to one of my blogs. I felt that I got some valuable suggestions to use in my teaching practices and some nice feedback about some of my perspectives in teaching.
Some of the resources were irrelevant to me, so that as a high school math teacher I think I would benefit from a bit more material that strongly pertained to my teaching. I do like hearing the perspective of younger kids though, because I think it helps to understand how students have developed even though they are at the high school level currently. Perhaps some math classroom anecdotes even at a much younger level would help to inspire critical literacy teaching practices?
I'm encouraged to get a blog site going for my class, because I think they would be engaged and really have to listen to each other as they sit and read what others have said in a particular discussion. I feel that this piece should be a part of the next go round of this course so that teachers are putting the blog site into practice.
Thanks, Vivian, for the enlightening experience...
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Reflection on Critical Literacy Class
While I will try to post again even though our class has come to a close, I would like to reflect on how the class has influenced my teaching practices this past semester. Taking the critical literacy class has encouraged me to think about teaching math in some completely innovative ways. I'm not only teaching the mathematical concepts, but also teaching students to think critically about the concepts and find relevance in their daily lives. It is tougher to teach, but students benefit in the long run. Concepts are less likely to be remembered than skills. Skills that are developed become habits and are likely to be applied to other areas of learning or life.
By including a critical literacy perspective in my teaching students who have a math phobia are more likely to take an interest and gain confidence as perhaps they find more sense in the math. A lot of times if students do not have a strong foundation and have done poorly in math in their earlier years of learning, they are completely disheartened and have given up by the time they get to the high school level. Incorporating language, having discussions, and hopefully making sense of the math by getting students to think away from just the numbers and mechanics will encourage students to build back some of that lost confidence.
I feel that I have become a better teacher as a result of thinking about some of these issues. I still feel that I could do more, but I do think that it takes time. As Vivian said, after teaching a particular level a few times, one finds certain big issues to teach in the entire curriculum rather than the big list of 20 standards or teaching objectives. After being able to wrap one's head around the big picture it becomes easier to find methods of incorporating critical literacy perspectives into the daily practices.
By including a critical literacy perspective in my teaching students who have a math phobia are more likely to take an interest and gain confidence as perhaps they find more sense in the math. A lot of times if students do not have a strong foundation and have done poorly in math in their earlier years of learning, they are completely disheartened and have given up by the time they get to the high school level. Incorporating language, having discussions, and hopefully making sense of the math by getting students to think away from just the numbers and mechanics will encourage students to build back some of that lost confidence.
I feel that I have become a better teacher as a result of thinking about some of these issues. I still feel that I could do more, but I do think that it takes time. As Vivian said, after teaching a particular level a few times, one finds certain big issues to teach in the entire curriculum rather than the big list of 20 standards or teaching objectives. After being able to wrap one's head around the big picture it becomes easier to find methods of incorporating critical literacy perspectives into the daily practices.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Racism Part 2
Today another interesting thing happened...
one of my students came in to my room very agitated and excited. She blurted out that the principal had just called certain students "afro-american." She resented the term, because she preferred to be called "black-american." She went on to say that she didn't even like to be called "african-american" because she was not from Africa. She said she was going to go down to his office and speak to him about the matter. A few other students were in the room and told her to calm down..(all of the students including the agitated girl are Black) One said, well, there's a newspaper with the name "afro-american." The girl responded, ok but that's ok because it's a Black person writing it. Our principal is White. So I questioned the girl, why is it ok for a Black person to say certain things and not for a White person? Her response was that because of historical reasons, she felt it was racist coming from the white person while it was ok (a Black person will not be racist to another Black person) for a Black person to use the term afro-american.
I personally have mixed feelings about the fact that a comment is ok when said by one person but not ok when said by another person. But, I simply said to the student that she should voice her concerns to the principal. I think it's important that student's voices should be heard and also that people in power, like principals, be aware of how their language has incredible influence especially over the ones that they manage. Good for her for taking action about something she wanted to change. The apathy by the other students is taking the easy way out in my opinion, but perhaps if students feel that they are powerless or have been put down in the past it is the norm to let things go.
I feel encouraged to start some discussions in my classes about appropriateness of language in the school setting...
one of my students came in to my room very agitated and excited. She blurted out that the principal had just called certain students "afro-american." She resented the term, because she preferred to be called "black-american." She went on to say that she didn't even like to be called "african-american" because she was not from Africa. She said she was going to go down to his office and speak to him about the matter. A few other students were in the room and told her to calm down..(all of the students including the agitated girl are Black) One said, well, there's a newspaper with the name "afro-american." The girl responded, ok but that's ok because it's a Black person writing it. Our principal is White. So I questioned the girl, why is it ok for a Black person to say certain things and not for a White person? Her response was that because of historical reasons, she felt it was racist coming from the white person while it was ok (a Black person will not be racist to another Black person) for a Black person to use the term afro-american.
I personally have mixed feelings about the fact that a comment is ok when said by one person but not ok when said by another person. But, I simply said to the student that she should voice her concerns to the principal. I think it's important that student's voices should be heard and also that people in power, like principals, be aware of how their language has incredible influence especially over the ones that they manage. Good for her for taking action about something she wanted to change. The apathy by the other students is taking the easy way out in my opinion, but perhaps if students feel that they are powerless or have been put down in the past it is the norm to let things go.
I feel encouraged to start some discussions in my classes about appropriateness of language in the school setting...
Racism in our schools
I was sitting amongst students at an assembly sometime back, and I overheard one student talk to another as he passed the first student. The first student (who was Black) made some comment to the second student (who was Indian) in an Indian accent about working at the quickie mart. The Indian student laughed and kept going. I got upset and admonished the student. He looked at me, surprised, and said, oh I'm just kidding. He's my friend. We always joke about stuff like that. Normally, he makes fun of me for being Black and says...(I don't remember the exact comment). Anyways, I said something like it's not appropriate for you to be talking like that.
Then I sat and thought about it for awhile...I realize that the students were probably not upset by the banter that they had, and for them there was nothing wrong with it. So I thought about why it bothered me. I thought about the fact that my friends and I could have similar kinds of jokes...picking on each other's stereotypes. When, if any, is the right place for those interactions to occur? I came up with the fact that I was the role model for these students and for them to be joking about stereotypes in front of other students would give the wrong message. Another student might hear it and become upset or take it for truth. Stereotypes are bad, because they create a false impression of a group of people. They lead people to judge not based on personal interaction but by a preconceived notion.
I don't know if this is wrong or right, but in my opinion one should have a different set of rules for things said in public and in private. By public, I mean in a professional setting. School is my workplace, my professional setting, and also the students' as they are there to prepare themselves for the real world. One needs to be very careful with jokes in a professional setting. In private, when one is with friends, things can be said differently. The key in every situation though is to treat people the way you would like to be treated- with respect- and also to keep in mind how your words are received by other people. For me, even though students might not mean their comments, they should learn what is deemed appropriate in the real world.
Then I sat and thought about it for awhile...I realize that the students were probably not upset by the banter that they had, and for them there was nothing wrong with it. So I thought about why it bothered me. I thought about the fact that my friends and I could have similar kinds of jokes...picking on each other's stereotypes. When, if any, is the right place for those interactions to occur? I came up with the fact that I was the role model for these students and for them to be joking about stereotypes in front of other students would give the wrong message. Another student might hear it and become upset or take it for truth. Stereotypes are bad, because they create a false impression of a group of people. They lead people to judge not based on personal interaction but by a preconceived notion.
I don't know if this is wrong or right, but in my opinion one should have a different set of rules for things said in public and in private. By public, I mean in a professional setting. School is my workplace, my professional setting, and also the students' as they are there to prepare themselves for the real world. One needs to be very careful with jokes in a professional setting. In private, when one is with friends, things can be said differently. The key in every situation though is to treat people the way you would like to be treated- with respect- and also to keep in mind how your words are received by other people. For me, even though students might not mean their comments, they should learn what is deemed appropriate in the real world.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Popular Culture and Critical Literacy
I just read Vivian's article, "Our Way: Using the Everyday to Create a Critical Literacy Curriculum" and got some great tips! Many times both this year and last I have had the same reaction that Vivian had in terms of trying to smother a particular topic students are talking about or seem interested in because it's causing "disorder" in the classroom. Students do try to please their teacher, so that they probably will stop talking about whatever if they feel the teacher is not approving. Yet, is it right to silence students' voices? I have struggled with this idea a lot, because I want my students to be engaged. I also want students to feel comfortable to voice their opinions or concerns in my classroom. I agree with Vivian that students should be able to lead the way and direct the learning process. How do I get students to do that in a math class though when a lot of times they find no relationship between calculus or trigonometry and their daily lives?
I do believe that it is important to let students have a voice and have responsibility in their learning, but it is also important that students learn what they need to know and also acquire basic skills and discipline to learn for the sake of learning. I agree it's important to question, but I also think discipline and motivation are so important, because it pays off later in life when looks upon you favorably for showing those skills. Acquiring knowledge is really important, because one is buildling general skills in that process. Many times students will not retain what they learn years and years later, but they will retain skills that will enable them to learn again. I firmly believe in learning for the sake of learning and enjoying it in the process!!
I do believe that it is important to let students have a voice and have responsibility in their learning, but it is also important that students learn what they need to know and also acquire basic skills and discipline to learn for the sake of learning. I agree it's important to question, but I also think discipline and motivation are so important, because it pays off later in life when looks upon you favorably for showing those skills. Acquiring knowledge is really important, because one is buildling general skills in that process. Many times students will not retain what they learn years and years later, but they will retain skills that will enable them to learn again. I firmly believe in learning for the sake of learning and enjoying it in the process!!
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