final reflection on spring 24' semester - 04.15.24

This semester has certainly been a wild ride! This class has offered me a lot of new perspectives that I probably wouldn't have considered otherwise. Here are my top three most impactful experiences in this class.

1. Shalaby, Troublemakers. - I think out of every author we discussed in class, Shalaby had the most innovative ideas. I found Shalaby's argument to be relevant, powerful, and easy to expand upon. I especially connected with Shalaby's language and appreciated this text a lot.

2. Queering Our Schools - I really found this text engaging, especially because of my personal connection. This text in specific has given me a lot to think about in regards to how best to support students.

3. Service Learning - There is nothing like getting real experiences within the classroom. Getting to connect with the students, make a difference, and learn how to become a great teacher has been both a blast and a sincere challenge. I think service learning has been the most rich experience at RIC for me thus far.

a few reasons why i hated tenth grade - reflection on "queering our schools" by the editors of rethinking schools (04.07.24)

 Blog Post #10

Reflection on “Queering Our Schools” by The Editors of Rethinking Schools

(Hi! This blog post uses the phrase “queer” in a reclaimed sense of the word. There is power in taking back what you have been called. Thanks!)

Admittedly, being queer in a public school sucks hardcore. As someone who grew up as one of maybe ten other queer students in a suburban small town with more farmland than critical thinking, being out in high school was one of the most frustrating, isolating, and annoying experiences of my life. I was outed as queer in 8th grade and immediately realized that school was no longer a fully safe space for me. For much of it, my sexuality went undiscussed. Most of the students around me either made no note of my identity or kept it to mildly polite microaggressions and weirdly personal questions about my relationships. In 10th grade, a boy I was tutoring asked me if “he could watch” me and my partner at the time. When I told my teacher, the boy was pulled from class, but still returned to our session the next week and continued to ogle at my girlfriend when she would shuttle me snacks after her class. I was never asked how I felt about the incident. In 11th grade, the boy who sat behind me in American History would kick my chair and whisper slurs when I walked by. He asked me once if I thought God would forgive me for kissing a girl. I told him I was late for class and then snuck off to find solace in the upstairs bathroom. The boy never got in trouble. 

Throughout high school, queerness existed as both a taboo, not to be mentioned nor discussed within the classroom, and a spectacle. I can note far too many instances of blatant homophobia and hate within my school. There is something so incredibly dehumanizing about watching the other members of your community being attacked for no reason other than existing and doing nothing about it. As many times as I spoke out against the prejudice, there were twice as many times I bit my lip and kept my head down. When the only openly gay teacher was harrassed constantly by students and parents alike, I gave him a private smile and kept my head down. When the nonbinary student a grade below me became the target of seemingly unending bullying, I told them I liked their flag and kept my head down. When the girl next to me in AP Art grinned that “at least you're bisexual and not like, a full on lesbian,” I laughed it off and kept my head down. I knew nothing would be done. 

During this time, I had one teacher who fought for me, my community, and my identity, no matter what. I won’t name him in the interest of privacy, but this educator is the reason I find myself pursuing a teaching degree today. In my opinion, this teacher is the pinnacle of pride, mentorship, and kindness. He taught me to be proud of myself and to speak out against hatred. He taught me how to write, how to craft my words into weapons, and face discrimination with the shield of education. He is the best teacher I’ve ever met. He is the point of this long, drawn-out anecdote. As I read this text, I reflect on this teacher's actions and recognize a key aspect of how we, as educators, can stand up for our queer students. We must, as Delpit reiterated in her own text, prepare our students for the real world. This text encourages us to include queer identities in our curriculum. I can certainly agree with this sentiment, but I do not believe it to be universal. While it is helpful to queer students to have our identities prevalent, it also places us further on display. In my own experience, being on display was something I was subjected to often. I think, as educators, we can support our queer students best by empowering them with the skills to stay unshaken of homophobia. Teach our queer students to write, to debate, to be proud of themselves, to enable them to make the decision to educate or ignore. Teach our queer students to be fully, 100% confident, and proud of their identity. Teach them to shine. 

With this post, I’ve attached a video essay by Contrapoints on gender. Really interesting if you're curious about the spectrum of queer identities and also I am obsessed with everything Contra does. Check it out!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pTPuoGjQsI

To Share: The author of this text states that 82% of queer students have been verbally harassed on the basis of their sexuality. What does being queer mean to you? Have you ever faced discrimination, and how did it affect you? How were the queer students in your school treated?

girls with too much pizzaz -reflection on "eliminating ableism in the classroom" by hehir (04.05.24)

 Blog Post #9

Reflection on “Eliminating Ableism in Education” by Hehir

By this point, it is no secret in our class that I have ADHD! It affects me daily, whether it be sitting down to write these blog posts, late nights filled with creative bursts, or a generalized inability to keep myself from chatting with everyone in a 20-mile radius. It may, however, come as a surprise that I love having ADHD. To me, my ADHD is a special and unique way that I get to view the world. It makes me more creative, and less socially anxious, and I feel as though it acts as my natural spark. Over time, I have come to love my ADHD and appreciate it as part of what makes me, me! This, however, was not always the case. It has taken me many years and a lot of reassessing my own thoughts for me to untrain my internalized ableism. Ableism, that was perpetuated throughout my education. 

In first grade, my nickname when in class was “popcorn” because I simply could not stay in my seat. I was all across the room, a small, overly emotional, and overly excited kid who had far too much energy and nowhere to disperse it. I often found myself in trouble for causing distractions, whether through trying to talk about recess drama during a math test or because I had asked to go to the bathroom for the 100th time just to have somewhere to go. As I read Hehir’s text, “Eliminating Ableism in Education,” I find myself reflecting on my own experiences. Hehir calls for us to acknowledge the ableism we see and search for ways to create accommodations. As someone with a learning disability, Hehir’s words mean a lot to me. I wasn’t given an IEP until around 6th grade, when I was officially diagnosed, however all of the signs were there. While some of this may relate to the fact that I was a girl with ADHD and not a boy, who is far more easily diagnosed, I find myself bitter about the lack of support I received.

    Even when I had my IEP, I often found myself fighting to get my accommodations realized. Many teachers, in my experience, are far too eager to write off behaviors that exhibit a larger problem as a “behavioral issue” rather than taking the time to search for the larger cause. Like Hehir states in their text, I believe much of my own struggle could have been lessened if my teachers were more educated and aware of learning disabilities. As we move forward on our path to becoming educators, it’s key to recognize the importance of acknowledgment. Even having a teacher recognize that I was not struggling on purpose, that I didn't mean to be distracting but that I simply was having a hard time, would’ve made me feel so much more known. 

With this post, I’ve included a hyperlink to an article on supporting students with learning disabilities. I encourage you to check it out and add it to your “future teacher” toolbox!!

https://sites.ed.gov/idea/idea-files/guide-positive-proactive-approaches-to-supporting-children-with-disabilities/

language in the classroom - reflection on "aria" by richard rodriguez (04.05.24)

 Blog Post #8 

Reflection on “Aria” by Richard Rodriguez

 

Language is one of the keystones of our society. One of the facets of humanity that separates us from other animals is our ability to communicate with one another. As educators are those tasked with teaching and preparing the students of the future, we must recognize our role in the development of language. 

“Aria” by Richard Rodriguez is a text that reflects the delicate balance of teaching a new language without erasing the past. This central idea is best represented by a quote on page two, where Rodriguez states that as a young Spanish speaker learning English,  “...[Rodriguez] couldn't believe that the English language was [his] to use.” (pg 2).

In my own opinion, this quote summarizes one of the central themes that has been discussed in class thus far. When we regard our MLL students, it’s important to consider the identity-related confusion that is ever present as they navigate learning a second language. Teaching students whose first language is not English is an incredibly delicate subject, as it is key to recognize the fine line between teaching them English in order to prepare them for the real world, and not erasing their cultural heritage. 

We can also compare this text to Delpit’s “Culture of Power,” as we note that both authors are encouraging us as educators to prepare our minority students for the world they will face outside of school. It is a fact that linguistic racism exists, and will likely exist for many years to come. In order to best prepare our students, we just equip them with the power to “speak white.” It is the unfortunate reality that POC students will obtain more opportunities and successes if they are able to communicate with those who hold the power. However, we must also encourage these students to hold onto their home language. To teach our students the codes of conduct related to the workforce in a country that places white people at a significant level of privilege is to arm them with the ability to defend themselves and their ideologies no matter what form of bigotry is thrown at them. 

With this text, I’ve included a hyperlink to a wonderful resource on strategies for teaching MLL learners! Check it out, it’s very helpful and provides wonderful insights on how to approach the topics we are grappling with in class on a more “real-world” scale. 

https://pce.sandiego.edu/11-essential-strategies-for-teaching-english-language-learners-for-any-teacher/

inquiry and cash baby - reflection on "literacy with an attitude by finn" (03.17.24)

 Blog Post #7

Reflection on “Literacy with an Attitude” by Finn

As we continue our open dialogue on the complexities of institutional oppression within school systems, I’ve found the more in depth I search on this topic, the more difficult it feels to come to terms with. The unfortunate reality of the cruel and frustrating circumstances that surround lower class schools is a look into the abyss that does not blink. It is a horrific amalgamation of understanding that knowledge is a fading treasure, something that needs to be cultivated and preserved lest it be lost to time forever. In the text, “Literacy with an Attitude,” Finn provides quotes, statistics and analysis of a few various schools in New Jersey to argue a greater point on how money dictates environment and inquiry. To fully grapple with what Finn is arguing, we must first understand what inquiry is, and how factors both exterior and interior to the school system affect the quality of education that is received. 

Inquiry, in the most simple of terms, is to question. On a broader scale, we can think of inquiry as the backbone to all forms of education. Without curiosity, discussion and question, there is no learning. It is integral to a quality education that inquiry is cultivated within the classroom. To challenge our students to think for themselves is to push for a more developed and richer society. It is crucial to remember that as Shalaby put in her text Troublemakers, our “bad” students are often those who turn out to be writers, actors, scientists - those who become change-makers. In Finn’s text, he mentions that within the lower class school he observed, there was “rarely sustained inquiry,” and therefore a “dominant theme of resistance.” I am often confused by the sheer fact that the schools in which the students have the most complex life experience, the schools that have students below the poverty line, with minority identities and a unique perspective on life are often the schools in which the least care is given. These students are an integral part of the development of society, as they are in the position where they are not disillusioned by the opulence of others. They understand the tumultuous nature of life and therefore are most likely to enter society with the desire to make change, yet we beat this lust for difference out of them by diminishing and stepping on their creativity. Finn notes in his text that there was a distinct lack of creatively based projects, and that any work that involved creativity or sustained outside of the box thinking was labeled as “enrichment.” This points to a much more difficult issue - the stifling of creativity within the classroom encourages students to stay in line and stay away from questioning. This is a frightening revelation, as it reflects the unfortunate circumstances in which institutionalized oppression flourishes. Without inquiry, students are more easily controlled, and as Finn argues in his own text, less likely to learn. 

With this post I’ve included a hyperlink to a really great documentary on programs for “bad kids.” I found this documentary really helpful when working through this specific text, as it delves into the ideas around punishing students who are prone to making waves. Check it out!!

https://www.netflix.com/watch/81616648?trackId=252480315 

To Share: . In the text, “Literacy with an Attitude,” Finn provides quotes, statistics and analysis of a few various schools in New Jersey to argue a greater point on how money dictates environment and inquiry. To fully grapple with what Finn is arguing, we must first understand what inquiry is, and how factors both exterior and interior to the school system affect the quality of education that is received. How does money dictate the classroom environment and therefore inquiry? What does inquiry mean to you?

video notes - 03.0

 

aesthetics in the class - reflection on "what to look for in a classroom" by alfie kohn (02.28.24)

 Blog Post #6

Reflection on “What to Look For In a Classroom” by Alfie Kohn

As an artist who specifically adores working with interior spaces in her compositions, I often find myself asking how the spaces we occupy reflect our identities. Consider the posters on your wall, the organization of your pencil case, the amount of crumbs hidden in the crevices of your laptop, and wonder how these minute details reflect who you are. I am of the personal belief that a space well loved is a cluttered collage of the people, music, art, literature and more that make us. As a society we design every aspect of our lives and the classroom is no exception. Alfie Kohn’s text, entitled “What to Look For In a Classroom” is a perfect example of how something as simple as the seating arrangement or the classwork used to decorate a space can make or break a classroom environment. Before the teacher even says a word, before the students file in, the tone of the classroom is already set by the objects and arrangement found within. It is crucial and integral that we design the space for our students, and invite them into a space that reflects the reality of the classroom. 

Take the arrangement of seating for a great example of this. Kohn warns against the practicality of desks in rows. The impression that twelve desks in symmetrical rows gives is one of impersonalness, cold and calculated and extremely academic. Students who walk into a class where the desks are in rows feel their stomachs drop with dread as they imagine the isolation, the lack of creativity and the hair pulling amount of work that is associated with this time of classroom setup. On the contrary, a student who walks into a class where the seating is arranged in groups will feel invited and warm, understanding the implied collaboration and excitement that comes with peer work. From a single glance, a student’s perception of the class, before it has even begun, is radically different. That is why it is so crucial for us as educators to create a space that is well loved for our students. No matter the age, students can tell when a teacher is fully engaged with their job, as it is so often reflected in the setup of the classroom. All of my favorite classes in highschool were deeply loved spaces, rooms with delicate lighting, an abundance of student’s work and a smiling face at the door each morning. 

With this post I’ve included a hyperlink to a video on aesthetics, which is the artistic principle of why a design looks the way that it does! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF8kz-mTIp4 

To Share in Class: As a society we design every aspect of our lives and the classroom is no exception. Alfie Kohn’s text, entitled “What to Look For In a Classroom” is a perfect example of how something as simple as the seating arrangement or the classwork used to decorate a space can make or break a classroom environment. What does a “well-loved” space look like to you? What did your favorite classes in school look like? Why is it crucial as educators to create a welcoming and warm environment for our students?