Promising Practices

I attended the Promising Practices workshop for my social justice event. This event was very enlightening and overall enjoyable.

The first workshop I attended was called “Girls Gone Wired.” This was a presentation given by a female coder who owned her own web design studio. It was all about the ways that women could be involved in the technology field, all the ways we are oppressed, and things that we could do to solve the problems. Much of this I was not very aware of, as I myself am not a technically inclined sort of person. I really enjoyed the 3 rules that she had to offer to help make women equal in this specific field because I felt that they could really be applied to any situation or occupation:

1)   HUMANIZE: The point of this rule was to always address people as a whole. Do not address men, or women, or “techies”. Always talk to the group equally, and do not call out specific groups or genders.

2)   EQUALIZE: The object of this rule was to equalize opportunities, but not sheltering women from the truth of the field. The truth is that it is very male dominated. It is unrealistic to tell women that there will always be lots of women around and that women will always be equal to men. But it important to emphasis that there can be some equality, with proactive change.

3)   CREATIVE-IZE: This rule was to help bring more women into the field. To emphasize the creative parts and not just focus on the math or tech sides. There is a much more creative side to web design and coding that lots of people don’t know about. Emphasizing the more creative side will help bring more kinds of people into the technology field.

I found a website online for a program called girlswhocode.com. (http://girlswhocode.com/ )This is a group of girls dedicated to bringing about change in the technology field. The vision of the program is:  “Girls Who Code’s vision is to reach gender parity in computing fields. We believe this is paramount to ensure the economic prosperity of women, families, and communities across the globe, and to equip citizens with the 21st century tools for innovation and social change. We believe that more girls exposed to computer science at a young age will lead to more women working in the technology and engineering fields.” When researching women in technology and coding, there were many websites and programs like these dedicated to bringing change in this industry. I never knew that this was such an issue, but listening to this workshop, and doing my own research, I learned that there is a fast amount of inequality and stereotypical injustice between men and women coders. Websites and programs such as Girls who Code are striving to bring about positive change, while sticking to the 3 main rules described above.

The second workshop that I attended was about Technology in the Early Childhood classroom. This was all about the new and innovative ways to incorporate computers and all sorts of new technology into grades Pre-K-2. I really liked the presenters of this workshop, two teachers from the Barnard school, however I did not really like the presentation itself. To me, it seems like technology is being used too much in the classroom. I agree that it is an important learning tool, and that the world is changing and becoming even more important. However, it seems to be replacing things that I don’t feel should be replaced. Things like reading real books and learning math facts on paper. Almost all of the websites and programs that we were shown had some way for the child to be lazy with the assignment, or to do it quickly without learning. I also felt that the teacher was being replaced by some of the technology, which leaves socialization to a minimum, which I think is a very important part of schooling, especially at such a young age. The Huffington Post said, in an article entitled “The Most Powerful Tool in the Classroom”, “As we progress in this technologically charged world, we face a very important question. What is to become of the role of teachers? Will they become obsolete?”  (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-wike-loyola/the-most-powerful-tool-in_b_6012136.html)Although this was not the intention of this workshop, this is what I took away from it. The technological options available to teachers nowadays are taking over. There seems to be very little room for teachers. Although right now using these types of things are only an option and an enhancer, it seems that complete technological takeover in the classroom is on its way very soon.

The last portion of the day was the keynote speaker, Christopher Emdin. Emdin spoke on cultural learning and ways to teach to the students. I really thought that Emdin had a lot of really great messages and was a very engaging speaker. I related the speech to “An Indian Father’s Plea.” In this reading, a father was concerned that his son was being labeled “slow” or “stupid” because of his cultural differences. It was not that his son was not able to learn what the teachers were teaching him, it was the way it was being presented to him. Both the reading and Emdin spoke about the way teachers present information in a “my way is the only way” manner. Both talked about ways that teachers can teach in a culturally correct way, in a way the student will understand and connect with, while still getting across the points that they need to. Emdin spoke about ways to present the information in a way that kids will relate to, but also teaches them how they can later present this information in a scholarly way. Although Emdin spoke about Hip Hop Culture and the reading was about a Native American in a white classroom, the message was very much the same.

I also connected this presentation with Delpit’s article, “The Silenced Dialogue.” In the article, it says that “all of the white respondents, except one, have wished to talk more about the question of skills versus process approaches….All of the nonwhite respondents have spoken passionately on being left out of the dialogue about how best to educate children of color.” The white educators are very set in teaching the way they think students should be taught, rather than really thinking about the approach that their specific students need to learn. Emdin was speaking on Hip Hop culture, and how kids can memorize rap lyrics in a second, but information in a textbook is a whole different story. He is a strong believer that by teaching these kids in a hip hop way, they will learn more effectively in the classroom, and be able to retain and use that real knowledge in their lives, instead of barely remembering it long enough to get through an exam. Emdin also spoke strongly about the culture of power being the white educators, as was also the case in this reading.

I was also reminded of the piece “Hunger of Memory,” by Richard Rodriguez, while Emdin was speaking. In this autobiographical piece, Rodrigues speaks about when his Hispanic culture was stripped from him when his catholic nun teachers visited his house. They insisted that Rodriguez’s parents only speak English in their household so that their children could succeed at school. These educators had no regard for another culture other than that they were teaching. Instead of working together to make it work, and learning from each other, they demanded that Rodriguez, and his entire family, abandon their own cultural identity. This is exactly what Emdin is trying to avoid. He sees a world in which culture of power is gone, and culture and education can combine to produce real learning and knowledge, with more real life application and experience. Emdin wants the education system to work together with different cultures, like hip hop, to create a world where everyone is free to learn in their own style in order to produce the best results. On his website, www.chrisemdin.com, Emdin is quoted “Education should not be a way out of your neighborhood. It should be a tool to improve it.” Christopher Emdin does not think that education is only for the elites, and that it should be a way to get to the elite level and keep things the way they are. He wants culture and education to mix together in a way to better everyone and to improve the world.

"Education is Politics" - quotes

1) "Piaget urged a reciprocal relationship between teachers and students, where respect for the teacher coexisted with cooperative and student-centered pedagogy."
       I believe that this is truly the best type of classroom. In my mind, there is zero doubt that the teacher needs to be respected, keep order in the classroom, and overall remain in control, but I believe that education needs to be a two way street. That a teacher needs to teach to the students and not to a test. Students need to feel comfortable enough with their teacher that they will be engaged in the learning process. This way, when they are truly interested in what they are learning, they will learn both from the teacher and from each other.  It seems to me that when students are encouraged to explore and learn and discover, learning happens much more efficiently than when a teacher simply explains what the textbook already says. When teachers respect their students and are willing to learn and work with them, education really becomes possible.

2) "People are naturally curious. They are born learners. Education can either develop or stifle their inclination to ask why and to learn."
       Relating closely to the first quote I chose, questioning in a classroom could not be more important. Most classes that I took in high school were taught to the textbook, and there was little room for questioning that or for doing more out of the box learning. I quickly learned in the school system to learn what they told me too and to do my best to retain that knowledge. But that is not how people learn. Memorizing facts and knowledge is not an education. being able to ask why, and to discover how to find the answer and why that answer is true, that is how you learn. It is the job of an educator to foster this natural curiosity, and to really teach how to learn, rather than just teach the information that has already been explored. While it is necessary to learn and be tested and evaluated, I believe that there are some better ways and some not so good ways to present this information to students.

3) "...education for empowerment is not something done by teachers to students for their own good but is something students codevelop for themselves, led by a critical and democratic teacher."
       This is my favorite quote in this reading, and something that I truly believe. A teacher should be a guide. A mentor, a resource, and a guide. They should not be an authoritarian who pretends to have all the answers. A teacher who is teaching by these democratic limits is not helping society. Society is run by the elites, and teaching this way will cause it to remain this way. By letting students guide the learning, these are the kid who will make positive change. By empowering themselves, with the aide of a teacher, these are this kids who will question everything, including the political system, and change will happen. We need to encourage students to not accept everything for what it is, while still retaining control and order in the classroom. Educators seem to have trouble finding this balance, and tend to lean towards the democratic, almost militaristic style of teaching.

"Citizenship in Schools: Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome"

 For this reading, I chose to work from Betsy's blog.

In her blog, Betsy states, Every person’s story is different but equally important... I believe everyone has something to offer.." I think that when we think about students with Down syndrome and other disabilities, this is something that we really need to focus on. By putting these students in Special Education classrooms, we are not giving these children the same opportunities as the students who are not struggling with a learning disability. By separating the kids, we are losing the sense of community and communication that schools and learning should be all about. When we take kids with Down syndrome out of "regular" classes, we are minimizing their journey, or their story. We are not allowing them to experience the same things, which takes away any sense of being a citizen of any community. By not letting these students have a voice in the community, we are not letting them share their story. Although it may be communicated in different ways, EVERYONE has something that they can bring to a situation. Whether it’s a genius idea, a logical plan, or even a smile to brighten the mood. When we pull these students out of the classrooms, we are negating this sense of citizenship and community for those in the Special Education classrooms, and those in the "regular" classrooms. We need to allow ALL students the opportunity to learn and grow as equals, whether the outcome for everyone is the same or not.By minimizing collaboration, we take away a sense of belonging and citizenship, which minimizes someone has a human being. This is one of the most destructive things I see happening in separated classrooms.

Literacy With an Attitude

"Students also valued educational achievement without valuing the knowledge it brought." This quote really stood out to me. It makes me think about the education system, and what it really means to have an education. What it means to the student, and what it means to the teacher. It seems that both teacher and student, especially in the working-class classroom, are striving for one thing: An 'A' on the assignment. Kids in these environments are taught to do what will give them the best on paper results. But are they really learning anything? Students love when they do well on a test or assignment, but that's it. They are not truly grasping what they are learning. There seems to be no effort on the teachers side to really engage the students. They teach what they must, in one way, for everyone. In the more affluent classrooms, there is creativity, and there is a more education fostering environment. These students are taught how to learn, rather than being thrown into facts that they know for one week in order to get a good grade. I think that the most important thing that can be taught in a classroom is how to learn, and how to love learning. Learning goes beyond the classroom, and I believe that young students, ESPECIALLY in working-class settings need to be taught to value the experience of learning and the knowledge that they are gaining, rather than a letter on a paper.

I thought that the difference in classrooms between the socioeconomic backgrounds was appalling. I think that it is horrific that the more affluent communities have such better resources. I think that it is up to the government to make the same resources available to all children. By keeping the divide in the classrooms, we are keeping the divide in the world. By not allowing these children the same opportunities from the first day of kindergarten, we are practically committing them to a life of never being pushed to their full potential, and never allowing them to truly foster their own creativity to learn how to learn and lead a successful life. 

The Other 3 'R's

Although this video was a little hard to watch, I did make some connections. It really brought to life and reiterated all the readings we have read so far in class. I really loved the Kozol quote that was in there too: “If money is good for rich people, imagine how much better it would be for poor people”. This makes me think of Kozol’s piece and the incredible injustices that were described. One of the parts that stood out to me the most was when they talked about teachers being graded on student performance. I do not agree with this plan. I think that it really puts the kids with learning and behavioral issues at an even greater disadvantage, as if it wasn’t already bad enough. Why would a teacher opt to take them now, if those students are going to bring their scores down and ultimately, reflect on the teacher poorly? Even if a teacher had been previously willing and able to teach these kinds before, it would no longer look good for them, which is an unfortunately unappealing fact. Even though we know nothing could be more inaccurate. I also would like to reflect on the achievement gap, segregation, and school conditions. I think that this is just sooo REAL. I mean let’s be honest, it couldn’t be any more in your face than it is. There is no hiding the injustices between schools in different economic situations, and it relates directly to “the rich get richer, poor get poorer”.  I am so taken aback by the whole situation, and am confused as to why there is ongoing marches, pushes, and talking out against, yet still nothing is done. How does such a huge problem seem to be so invisible even when it is always right in your face? 

Becoming Something Different

I thought that the message that this piece had was very clear: being bilingual does not mean lesser ability. I very much agree that there is no clear or right way on how to teach and assess ELL students and the overall representation of them in special education is awful. Esme was extremely capable, it was nothing more than a language barrier giving her trouble. However what really needs to be understood is that a language barrier and an learning disability are two very different things. I was saddened by the lack of support for Esme , and lack of pushing her to do do better, and to realize her true potential. I feel as though the school held her back. I can understand Esme’s reasoning for wanting the easy classes… being able to do so well without struggle. Going from needing help to giving help is a very rewarding experience. However, I feel that student should be encouraged to want more for themselves, not to settle for less. It was really interesting watching Esme’s aggravation with her Mexican heritage as she tried to fit in more, to turn that heritage into more of a respected part of her. I could really see how trying to find that even ground could be very difficult. Here in America we Americanize everything. I was sad in the end that Esme wasn’t able to stay and graduate, as I found myself connecting with her in the end. I really believed she was going to graduate and do great things. Although she still may, I can imagine the transition back to Mexico was difficult, especially after she built so many great relationships here, and blended another culture with her own. This was a great article on the inequalities in education, and on our lack of cultural acceptance in this country.

 

'In the Service of What' Reflection

       I believe that service learning is an important part of anyone's life. Whether it is required by a school or not, i think that all service can be called service learning. I think that there is always more to learn, and that as a human, we all have more to give. I think that service learning should be a requirement. By making it a requirement, we are opening up the minds of young people. When opportunities are presented, but not required, it is not very likely that a young student would jump at the chance to help others. When making it necessary, we open up the possibilities. Just because someone is 'forced' into service, I still truly believe that both parties will benefit.
       When I was in school at Suffolk University last year, I was required to complete service learning hours for my freshman seminar, which was called "Voices in Conflict." We were required to work with the under-served members of our community. While at first I was hesitant about the assignment, and resented the hours I was going to spend on this, I am nothing but grateful. By working with the under-served and underprivileged, I was able to not only better their lives, if only for a moment, but I was able to truly learn about the community that I was living in. A classroom and teacher and textbook can only take you so far. I believe that learning through experience and observation is far more valuable than anything read in a book. Learning through your senses and emotions is a much more powerful and gratifying way of learning, in my opinion. There are so many opportunities for service learning in so many different fields. By making it a requirement, we are allowing ourselves and other students to help others, gain experience, and find our passion.

'Unlearning the Myths' reflection

            This piece made me think about how much kids learn from the media versus their own parents versus their school and teachers. I thought it was interesting how much blame the author was putting on the media. I think that everything that was said has lots of truth and lots of merit, but nothing about what children learn in other places was mentioned. I believe that stereotypes exist and are virtually unavoidable. But I also believe that early on, before a child can understand a story, the basic knowledge of acceptance must be in place. Kids need to be taught at home that they must not believe everything they see or here, and that they should accept everyone and treat everyone as equals. That being said, I know that the media, especially today, is a big part of everyday life. But I also think we look at selective media. Lots of emphasis was put on Disney. There are other films to show your children with less aggressive stereotyping. However, I also believe that that is what media is. It is a character that represents something. It is up to the artist what it represents, but there is media in favor of all types of people, and it is up to us what we show our children, and what we let ourselves believe. Of course over exposure will sway a person, but ultimately, a person’s values and morals and standards should be based on much more than what is shown in the media, and I believe that that must start with parents teaching an open and strong mind from day one.

'Love is all you need?' response

This week, I chose to write my blog based on the video that Valerie posted, called Love is all you need?  I had a few reactions to this video that I would like to discuss.
       I'll start with my positive reactions and thoughts. Because this video was based on true events, I believe that it was very accurate to what homosexual youth face in today's society. I think that it gave a very real sense of how alone these kids feel, even when they are at home with their families, who are supposed to provide unconditional love. The truth about how quickly, dramatically, and severely these issues can escalate was captured very well. I think some people don't realize, or maybe even refuse to believe how extreme bullying is becoming. This video provided a relatable circumstance for all viewers which i believe is a good thing, but also led me to the questioning part of my reaction.
       Watching this video made me wonder why we need to have issues turned around on us to make us really think about them. Why do people need to be in a situation before they realize that other humans have the same feelings that they do. Sometimes it seems as though others are unable to feel sympathy until they themselves wish they had someone. I do not understand where one group of human beings can determine that they are better than others. I know what the laws say, and what the bibles say, but how did people come to regard their own feelings as more important than other's feelings? To me, this is all about how people feel, and how other people feel about those feelings. Why can't we all just make our lives what we would like them to me. I wonder how people can be so violent, with what seems like no incentive. People act solely on emotions. Funny how these things seem to come full circle. But some one always needs to win, right?
      I believe that children need to be taught acceptance at an early age. Perhaps details are not necessary, but just the teaching everyone is free to be who they are. There is not a right or a wrong and there is not a good and a bad. Instead of telling your daughter she will grow up and marry a handsome prince, maybe tell her someday she will grow up and marry an amazing person. Bullying starts very early, and some new voices need to be heard to stop it.

'Aria' Connections

          I made connections with Aria, by Richard Rodriguez, The Silenced Dialogue, by Lisa Delpit, and An Indian Father's Plea, by Robert Lake. The piece was about Rodriguez's struggle with public identity, learning a second language, and being a proud member of his family and people.
          In an Indian Father's Plea, a father is writing to a school to see if something could be done about the way his son's culture seemed to be stripped from him during school hours. I drew a connection here because it was almost the opposite in this article by Rodriguez. When it was brought to the attention of Richard's parents that they might want to help their child learn English, they immediately brought about change in their household. So much so that when they wanted to speak Spanish again, it was nearly impossible. In the Plea, it was the goal of the father to get his son an education in an American school without diminishing or discouraging his Native American culture, heritage, and education. They were willing to work as a team and were not willing to sacrifice. Richard's family on the other hand, was very ready to let their children assimilate in English speaking American culture.
           I also related this to The Silenced Dialogue. There was a culture of power, and it was very evident. When the Rodriguez kids could not speak English, the nuns went to their house and suggested (insisted) that the kids learn English. The parents did not feel as though they had a choice. They had to do what the culture of power was telling them. In this case, the culture was present in school the same way it was in society in general. The culture was the English speaking culture. In order to be a functioning member of this society, English was needed. There was no way to avoid the people in power, when they were such a minority they were unable to make their voices heard.

'The Silenced Dialogue' Argument

Lisa Delpit, author of "The Silenced Dialogue," argues that there may be a better way to teach children of color than the  way the white educators in power are doing it. This debate is based on the view of the Native American educators and the educators of color that feel as though their voices have been silenced through what Delpit refers to as the 5 aspects of power, the third of which is "The rules of the culture of power are a reflection of the rules of the culture of those who have power." In this case, the "culture of power" is the the white educators. Therefore, when a white educator is teaching, he or she is enforcing the rules of the white culture. In the eyes of those of color, this is not the way that their children should be educated. However, these aspects of power have made it nearly impossible for these people to make their point. Delpit argues that there is a better way to teach children of color, but the voices of the educators is being drowned out by those who refuse to hear any other way but their own. These white people in power are so sure that what they learn and what they know is so much more valid than a black or Native American person's real life experiences. Those in power are so unwilling to give up their power, that they will not even acknowledge the day to day struggles of those they are speaking with, that could help better the educational process of our future generations.

'Amazing Grace' Reflection

       "Amazing Grace" by Jonathan Kozol was a very humbling and emotional piece. The story really helped begin to open my eyes to the extent and degree of poverty and hopelessness in the United States. Although I have always been aware that I am privileged, I am only just beginning to realize how privileged I am, and what that really means. I take for granted the fact that I get to go to college, without even thinking about it. Most of these kids are barely making it out of middle school. I take for granted the fact that I could go outside and play with my friends as a child. I could walk down my street alone with no fear. I did not realize then that this is something to be grateful for. I realize now that not living in constant fear and desperation is a privilege in itself.
       It was heartbreaking to read this piece. There were moments when I found myself close to tears, really feeling for these people in this story. And then I realized that these are real people. This is not a story for them, this is their reality, every single day. They can't escape. When I'm done reading, I am going to pull out my own macbook, finish a school assignment and go to sleep in my own bed. I am not going to lock and bar my windows and doors, and I am not going to fear about waking up in the morning, as one father in this piece mentioned he does during the cold months.When I am close to tears reading this, it is even more difficult to imagine the magnitude of the horrible emotions that these people face everyday.
     But in spite of this, these people keep going. They have accepted that this is their life, and that it will not change. This is difficult to write, because I know that I am not going to be the one to change their lives. This is going to take a whole lot of time, and a whole lot of people. The people that inhabit these areas are not there by choice. These people had no other options, and are forced to do what they do to survive. And the fact that their voices are not heard, that they are ignored, is a horrific thing. They accept what they have and they make the most of what they have. Through depression, and hunger, and drugs, and extreme poverty, these people keep living their lives the best that they can, and I think that some of us more privileged societies can learn a thing or two.

First Blog Post!

Hi, i'm erin:) I have just transferred to RIC from Suffolk University in Boston. So far, I am really enjoying my time here, and can't wait to see how the semester progresses. I plan to major in Early Childhood Education, and am really excited to see where that takes me. Outside of school, I am a high school colorguard instructor, and I participate in colorguard in Boston, MA and Nashua, NH. Looking forward to getting to know all of you!