As the school year is beginning, I anticipate facing and
working through several professional dilemmas as it relates to my students as
people as well as teaching literacy and making meaningful connections to
students’ lives. One of the biggest issues
I expect to face is making connections with the literacy content. I feel that all students come to school with
a working knowledge of the world around them.
As educators, I feel that part of our job is to use the content to
connect with the world students know and will get to know. For example, during a lesson on understanding
and identifying the elements of a story, (plot, setting, main character etc.) it
is important to understand that most students know how to identify these
elements and it is usually easiest to make this connection to television
shows. The difficult part is to show
students that they have prior knowledge that will make it easier to understand
these elements beyond the television and into the classroom. I think this step is most important when
dealing with a student who might lack educational confidence. We all get at least one student who has
settled into the “I can’t” role; however, being able to address and use a
students’ prior knowledge is the best way to prove to the student that they
can. However, it is important to use
what they know and what they like to show the student this connection. With such a diverse group of individuals, it
will be very important for me to familiarize myself with the things students
are familiar with in order to make connections to literacy content.
I also think that using cultural similarity and
differences will be difficult for me as an educator. As I get older, I become increasingly aware
of my cultural identity. I am aware of
how my culture has shaped my upbringing, my education and my life as a
whole. However, this journey to cultural
awareness did not even begin for me until I was a freshman in college. So when dealing with 2nd graders,
it is important to think about how cultural identity plays a role in their lives.
So early in the year, I have already seen how students
might handle differences and similarities.
One example would be our student who is in a wheelchair. When our student first came into the
classroom, I expected there to be questions, or even maybe even a small amount
of teasing; however, the students welcomed him with open arms. The class immediately was very helpful to
Dorian*. No one has asked about why he
is in the wheelchair and everyone was extremely helpful towards him. So as I was trying to get prepared to deal
with what might be a “sticky” subject, it was something that did not
necessarily need to be addressed in class.
One thing that I think might be easier for me when dealing
with my students would be my ability to relate to a vast range of
circumstances. For example, today a
student pointed out to me that another students shoe was “broke”. When I looked at the young lady’s shoe, the
sole had come a part. I thanked the
student for letting me know and I did not address it with either student. At the time, I felt this was best because I had
been there before. I had been in
situations where my family might not be able to afford new things no matter how
bad I have wanted or needed them. I have
been homeless, hungry, unsure of where I was sleeping the next night, worried
about my parents’ worries, etc. Having
to deal with such situations as a teenager and older helps me to understand
where my students as 2nd graders are mentally when we hear that
these things are going on. So on a case
by case basis, I am able to understand situations and use them to shape how I
am approaching students academically.
I am hoping that the situations I listed as potentially
difficult become easier as the year progresses so that my own nerves don’t get
in the way of me being the educator I know I am capable of being.
Hi Elita,
ReplyDeleteI sincerely connected to your blog post. My first two weeks in the classroom have been filled with mixed emotions and lots of questions. I agree that making literacy meaningful is of utmost priority. It is extremely important for students to not only be able to read, but also to make connections and form meaning from the texts they are given. As we read this week in our course text, a strategy that makes constructing meaning work is having students "search for connections between what they know and the new information they encounter, and the texts they read" (Harvey & Goudvis, 17). Students will not depict meaning from a text unless they can relate to the material and make connections to their own lives. I enjoyed reading your example of connecting the elements of a story to a television show. Incorporating a television show can definitely boost confidence. Students will be able to relate to the topic at hand and correlate the ideas to the content they are learning. Prior knowledge is required for students to learn. As teachers, it is our responsibility to make sure we are using applicable prior knowledge when introducing new concepts to our students. As a teacher, I can make sure to get to know my students' likes and dislikes. I completely agree that with a diverse group of students this will not be a simple process. It will take me making the time to know each student on an individual level. As I get to know my students, making literacy relevant will be much easier. In the article by Kersten and Pardo, the term finese is explained. This is a skillful practice of deciding what is purposeful in the classroom (147). Teaching what is relevant to students should definitely be put as priority in the classroom setting.
Throughout my college years, I have learned that teaching cultural similarities and differences can be done in a multitude of ways. Although deciding how to approach these topics can be rather difficult, this teaching must be done. Similar to your experiences, I did not explore my own cultural identity until I was asked to do so. It is not only important for students to learn what acceptance and tolerance are, but also to demonstrate these practices in the classroom daily. All members of the classroom community need to be aware of how to work with those different than themselves. Since students come from different backgrounds and upbringings, they all learn differently. According to Harvey and Goudvis, teachers must set the tone to build a literate community. One way this can be done is differentiated instruction (36). Even though we have a plan in mind, all kids learn differently. As teachers, we must "design our instruction to support students with varying reading proficiencies, learning styles, and language backgrounds" (36). We have to consider what experiences each child has had and what strategies will best help them learn. In order to accommodate each child, teachers must explore accessible resources. One suggestion Harvey and Goudvis give is to visit various libraries, look at garage and bargain book sales, explore local businesses, and apply for grants (37). Having more resources will provide more of the necessary materials to reach each student's needs.
I really appreciated you sharing the example in your classroom with the shoe sole. I definitely want to be compassionate and considerate of each of my students' feelings. Oftentimes, I instantly want to sympathize and comfort the student. However, I know that I am going to have to learn when to recognize that this is not always the best approach. Many students may not want the attention. I believe this will become a balancing act for me and will become more natural with time. It is my goal for all students to feel comfortable with me as their instructor and I cannot wait to find the best ways to make this happen.
Hi ladies!
ReplyDeleteI must say I really enjoyed reading both of your post this week! As our student teaching has started, sometimes I forget that there are interns in the neighboring rooms who are also experiencing some of the things I am experiencing. It is nice to know that the two of you also have your own uncertainties about this school year.
When I think about the question "what can I do?" and the three different ways to interpret this question, I think understanding your students is VERY important. As a teacher, there is not much you can do to aid comprehension effectively without knowing about your students on a personal level. One of the effective approaches to comprehension instruction that was discussed in the reading is relating the class's content to the students in a way that makes it authentic and purposeful. Within my own classroom, I hope to make a connection with my students on a personal level but I am most concerned about making this teacher-student relationship without losing my image as the teacher. A few students have already told me that I remind them of their older siblings or that I look like a teenager which is one of the main reasons why I am nervous to make a connection with my students. At the same time, I know if I can relate to my students outside of the classroom, my instruction in the room will be more meaningful to my students. This is probably the most important implementation for my room personally because a large portion of my students are already missing the importance of the content being taught to them. Mrs. Tocco and I have a hard time getting our students to understand that the instruction in class is meaningful.
It was so helpful to hear the situations you both have going on in your classroom. I think sometimes I see my students and take a moment to think, how can I relate my life experiences to the experiences they are encountering and I think it's most important for me to realize that they are children. Although the way we were raised or our family structure or our personal lives may be different, I had a childhood and I have gone through elementary school. I have had times when I questions why I was learning a certain part of elementary curriculum. I think this placement has helped me to realize that students do not need to you come from the same backgrounds as them. They don't need you to have the same experiences as them, instead they just want someone to support them and take the time to listen and understand them.
I love the level of collaboration that is developing with this group. Congratulations on a great first week of blogging!
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