Teaching to Change the World begins with me
As always, I am moved by the yearnings of the heart. How fitting to end this book with words of those who have made a difference – those who have remained teachers in spite of the obstacles in front of them. We cannot teach without courage when faced with such obstacles, nor can we teach without hope. Some may think of this as a “juxtaposition”, but I believe it to be a paradox. This thing we do, this thing called teaching, has the singular power to break our hearts in one moment, and shout out in joy in the next. I know that change begins with me. It begins with a sincere humility, a sense of deep reflection and introspection. Palmer Parker writes, “The connections made by good teachers are held not in their methods but in their hearts – meaning heart in its ancient sense, as the place where intellect and emotion and spirit and will converge in the human self”, (pg. 11).
As teachers, we must all admit our powerlessness over something, at some point or another. Teachers do this, day in, and day out, not in the sense of drudgery, but in the sense of renewal. Powerful questions, such as, “How can I change this? What can I do to make this right? What can I do to make this make sense for my students? What can I do to affirm my students’ voices, and to ensure that they reach those crescendo notes as their voices are being heard?” Sure, we can collaborate with one another. We can join groups. We can become Nationally Board Certified. We can become the teachers we aspire to be, but we must “Protect and nurture” (pg. 508) ourselves. We have to have lives outside of the classrooms, so that we have life inside of the classroom. It is as simple and complex as that.
It is my paradox. It is my journey. I am a journeyman with a heart filled with gratitude.
Current Hopes
Hope. To cherish, to desire. To expect with confidence – but at what cost? In particular, I think of the “Zero to Five” plan. The sum of $10 billion dollars will be invested into this program, focusing on 6 specific components. Early Head Start, ages 0-3, and Unversal Pre-School are of particular interest to me, but not for reasons you might think. I must disagree with the rationale behind both of these.
I wanted to do my own research on the “Zero to Five” plan, and I found a very interesting article with a contrasting view to the one presented in the Weinstein article. This article, written by Micheal Smith of the Washington Times (www.washintontimes.com/news/2009/march/15/home-schooling-zero-to-five-plan-doesnt-add-up/), set into motion a series of personal questions for me, in regard to the Early Head Start program. In the article, he cites the work of the Southwest Policy institute, which concluded: “Contrary to common belief, early institutional schooling can harm children emotionally, intellectually, and socially, and may later lead to greater peer dependency”. In sharp contrast, Ms. Weinstein, author of the article found on www.education.com, (which we read Thursday night), quotes Libby Doggett, Executive Director of Pre-K Now, who writes, “The quality of childcare and pre-k programs is critical to a child’s emotional, social, and intellectual growth…Parents are looking for more than babysitters”.
This made me think about the level of parental involvement in the developmental years of their children. Won’t this Early Head Start Program make it easier for parents to leave child-rearing responsbilities in someone else’s hands? Won’t it perpetuate a lessening of parental responsibility? Similarly, Smith states that this plan will, “encourage less parental involvement and much more government involvement, especially if states provide free preschool experience for every child”.
What about the views of the Southwest Policy, which reflects the concern that such “early institutional schooling can harm children…”. That is a frightening thought to me. According to Doggett, parents are looking for “teachers” to teach their children – their very, very young children. Universal preschool is not the answer. I think back to the fall lecture with Marian Wright Edelman. In describing the many issues regarding children, she said, “What we have is a MORAL issue”. Morality and politics are vastly different. Merriam- Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines morality as, “3: conformity to the ideals of right human conduct 4: moral conduct: virtue.” Parents need to be parents. They need to teach their children “right human conduct”. They need to love them and prepare them for all the wonderful possibilties in this life. They are the foundation for the future of their children – not the federally funded institutions with “universal” agendas.
Parental Involvement
Responsibility. Compliance. Equality. Hope. Involvement. Empowerment. Entitlement. Reticence. Assumptions. Acquiescence. Parents. Guardians. Value. Worth.
How do we involve parents and/or guardians in their child’s education? More importantly, how do we maintain that involvement? It comes with a willingness to actively involve and to actively inform. It comes with the idea of reaching out, pulling in, and communicating. It comes with the idea of valuing the parents/caretakers of our students.
I am most intrigued by the idea of home visits. I have fond memories of my first grade teacher, and her student teacher, coming to our home to visit. There is something powerful about sharing your home with someone – something rather intimate, rather connective. The teacher no longer becomes someone on a pedestal. She, or he, becomes someone familiar and friendly. A person who truly cares.
I continue to be intrigued by the work of Jane Addams. We have read about her on several occasions in this book. What an incredible change agent! I continue to marvel at the longevity of her work(s), and the lasting impact that it has had in the field of education. I am grateful that her work continues to have an impact, even on the most contemporary of change agents – particularly, Nel Noddings. I am grateful that her work, even to this day, acknowledges the importance of the triangulation between parents, teachers, and the “systems” that educate the children we have the privilege to teach.
Assessment
Mmmm – Nature vs. Nurture. Such a provocative comparison. If you take a family with 4 children, observe them, and begin to “assess” them, what findings would come out of those observations? What forms of intelligence would emerge? How would they be “labeled”? I believe that intelligence is a gift, and that it comes in many different “wrappings”, so to speak.
Between our article and chapter 6 in our Oakes and Lipton book, one statement makes the most sense to me. Sternberg writes, “Almost all of the judgments of intelligence that are made in the world are made on the basis of people’s implicit theories, not on the basis of tests…”, (pg. 148). In particular, I felt keenly drawn to the “Confucian perspective”, which “emphasizes the characteristics of benevolence and of doing what is right”, (p. 149). In thinking of gifts, or intelligences, I tend to lean toward Gardners’ Theory of Multiple Intelligences. It makes the most sense to me – it is inclusive of everyone, and of their “gifts”. I think that this theory offers incredible insight as to “how” children learn, and through which modality. It offers clarity and direction for instruction and understanding the best way to present new knowledge to our students. Assessment, therefore, could become as creative as the gift itself.
Shame on the Payne!
What immediately caught my eye was this statement, “Payne asserts that children growing up in a culture of poverty do not succeed because they have been taught the “hidden rules of poverty”, but not the hidden rules of being middle class”, (p. 2). That is ridiculous. I can’t say that I have ever heard anyone say, “My goal is to become middle class”. Her very approach is condescending and elitist, to say the least. I see the big picture, though, in that because she is a private, for profit company, her research does not have to be based on scientific evidence. Perhaps an independent agency should be formed, focusing on accountability,integrity, and validity. The idea of “the culture of denial” was interesting to me. I had never heard of that before. However, I do not think that most educators think that way, rather, they think in terms of “the culture of triumph”. I believe that we teach our students in ways that develop possibilities and probabilities. Shame on Ruby Payne for perpetuating such negative and defeatist views.
Savage Unrealities – What else rouses the passion of Paul Gorski? His left wing liberal comments were offensive to me. It was hard to read an article that I thought was going to be reflective, and find out that it was a political bashing. Although I do not agree with Ruby Payne’s philosophy or shameful teachings, I think that Gorski over stepped his boundaries. Is poverty political? From this article, I gather that he thinks it is. However, Gorski asserts that Ms. Paynes’ “framework” is classist. To that, I must agree. Classism is a real issue around the world. It exists on every continent on Earth, in every culture. It even exists in sub-cultures. Think of the uber wealthy people in this world. Do you realize that even they have their own “class system”? Sadly, it exits everywhere..I wonder how other countries deal with it? What is the solution?
Risky Business
The essence of who I am revolves in, and around, my faith. Since I was a child, it has been a driving force in my life. I couldn’t have explained it in words as a 5 or 6 year old, but I could tell you that my heart was always yearning for answers. My heart always ached for the lost, the lonely and the weary. I remember praying out loud, and having my sister and brother laugh at me. (I couldn’t tell you where the idea of praying out loud came from – Lutherans just didn’t do that - but somehow the words just came out) I learned at an early age to hold it in – ridicule has a way of doing that.
In this Ed.S. journey, I have often felt judgment from those who do not know me. They do not know the injustices that I have experienced, nor do they know the grievous experiences that have shaped my life. For years, I lived under the suffocating cloak of mediocrity. I was never considered smart enough or athletic enough. My voice was never loud enough. I was never rich enough. And yet, my faith was deep enough to change all that – it gave me courage to face the injustices and the grief and find an unfailing belief in myself.
Many of you know that I modeled for years – both in the U.S. and abroad. What you don’t know is that for every one job for which I was hired, there were dozens and dozens for which I was not hired. I was repeatedly told, you are too short, too fat, too all-American, too athletic looking, not exotic enough. I was told that I wouldn’t be hired because I had green eyes instead of blue, blonde hair instead of brown – the list goes on and on. There were many days when I literally walked around the streets of Paris with a few centimes in my pocket. Do I know the depths of rejection? Yes. Do I know first hand the depths of depression as a result? Yes. Never good enough. Mediocrity enveloped me, and nearly drowned me.
How do these experiences tie in with this Ed.S. experience? We have learned about culture, class, race, poverty and issues of social justice. My life was shaped by the Swedish culture. It remains, to this day, the one I am most familiar with. Similarly, my school life was shaped by the Cuban culture. Yes, my cultural history has been shaped by immigrants – a bilingual, biliterate cultural history. I have lived in many different countries, and have experienced first hand what it is like to live in those places as an outsider. I have seen wealth beyond anything one could ever imagine, through the lenses of one who “knew” that class lines were not to be crossed. The uber wealthy draw clear, definitive class lines. I know what it is like to be embraced by cultural groups, and yet rejected by class.
As I was interviewing for my very first teaching position, I had a phone interview with a principal. As we were talking, he interrupted me and asked me if I was White. I said yes, and he said he could not hire me because of my race. End of conversation. I often think back on that - not with regret, or disdain, or judgment, but with a different perspective than most – one of gratitude. I think of where I am now because of that. I think of the stories that parents have shared with me, the most intimate, heart wrenching stories. The stories of junkies moving to Atlanta to stay clean just so their kids could have a better life. The stories of lesbians being shunned by their families. The stories of homelessness and abuse. The stories of loss and grief and loneliness. The stories of people with a willingness to open up. The stories of people with a yearning for someone to listen, someone to know that they matter. Someone who will love them back – no matter the story. You ask me why I share this with you. You ask me again, what does this have to do with our program? I risk the judgment of others, for the sharing of an unfailing love. I risk the judgment of others for my voice to be heard – to question comments that cause a “check in my spirit”. We have spoken of education as being “political”. I challenge you by saying that it is spiritual. It is the essence of who we are. It is the essence of who I am.
Rhina’s Readings: Evaluating Children’s Books for Bias, Culturally Authentic Bias, Anti-Bias, Beyond Pink and Blue, Fiction Posing as Truth, Down But not Out
Evaluating Children’s Books for Bias:
Very interesting! Sadly, I wasn’t even aware of some of the biases in children’s books. I had never heard of the term “tokenism” before reading this article. I quickly took out the books which I will be using during my Teacher as a Child-Centered Practitioner portion of the Capstone. I wanted to double check for the validity of the criteria set forth in this article. Some of the criteria wasn’t applicable, and it made me think of the books that upper elementary, middle and high school teachers might use in their classrooms. As the title suggests, this refers to children’s books, but does it also refer to books that middle and high school teachers might use as well? ( A clear definition of “children” was not noted in this article). I also wonder whether every book we read to our students must have an example of every criteria listed in the article, or is the criteria based on the type of book? Another interesting point to this article, as suggested by the author, is to analyze the “biographical data” on the author and illustrator of the books we read. I have often done that with our class readings, but didn’t think to critically review this information in children’s books. You have definitely opened my eyes to a whole new perspective on what it means to critically reflect on the types of books I will be selecting for my students in the future.
Culturally Authentic Bias:
Hmmm…another thought provoking article, from the perspective of one who has experienced the taunting and jibes of the “majority” group. Perhaps the most provocative thought from this entire article is that even as teachers incorporate multicultural literature in their classrooms, the stories themselves can be hurtful to the groups that have been singled out, or stereotyped. This brings to mind the hurtful words, and not just from books, that others have spoken aloud in many classrooms throughout our nation and the world – rather than celebrating the unique cultural heritages that we each possess, those speakers of hurtful words have tried to squelch the pride and honor of those people. This article also brings to light the importance of knowing the content of the books we read, and to critically think about how it will affect different groups. It is equally important to note that she had an incredibly astute child in her class, who really listened to what was being read, and who felt empowered enough to share her true feelings in their book discussion, without fear of rejection or ridicule. Her words had the power to provoke change in her teacher!
Examples of Good Multicultural and Anti-Bias Literature:
I was intrigued right off the bat with this simple, yet helpful article. As the other articles did an excellent job in laying the foundation for what multicultural books “not” to pick due to biases, this article offered quality suggestions for what multicultural books “to” pick, based on “justice and fairness, anti-bias actions, and other cultures of the world”. It was encouraging to see “Everybody Cooks Rice”, by Norah Dooley, on the list, as I will be using it in my Teacher as a Child-Centered Practitioner portion of my Capstone.
Beyond Pink and Blue:
Ah, gender discrimination and student initiative in trying to change it! The power of persuasion is incredible, yet we cannot know “whom” to persuade without knowing the “what” to change. What an incredibly insightful and culturally aware teacher, who provoked such change and awareness in her students. This article sends a powerful message to all who read it – that stereotypes are learned and perpetuated by those who are not open to change, as the author so aptly illustrates. It is also sobering to think how powerful advertisements are in perpetuating such beliefs – I never would have thought to look critically at how boys and girls rooms might be set up in catalogs, such as Pottery Barn. How encouraging to know that the president of said catalog was willing to listen, and revealed an openness to change the format of the upcoming catalog as a result of the power of children’s writing. How empowering for those students to know that their words were heard!
Fiction Posing as Truth:
How utterly sad to know that Publishing houses publish books that do not honestly portray people and events that have shaped our history. I love historical fiction, but I did not realize that such inaccuracies existed. Once again, I have been enlightened. Critical to this article, is the choice that the author made in purchasing the book. (If she had not, I wonder what would have happened?) She did so because it’s inaccuracies could not be ignored. This choice set into action a dialog between 9 women who challenged the “truth”, as it were, to reveal the “truth” as it should be. This makes me wonder about the “Dear America” series. I happen to have two of the books in this series, and wonder how truthful they are. Do they depict the characters honestly? Are the sufferings of the characters and their families portrayed accurately? How will I know, without doing research myself? Should I just rely on what is layed out before me in black and white? This article forces me to rethink how I will review my choices of books – critically and with a renewed view of cultural and historical accuracy.
Down But Not Out:
“Anti-racist” or “multicultural education”? An excellent definition is provided by Enid Lee, who writes, “The purpose is to challenge stereotypes and include new information that transforms the way we look at each other and ourselves, and gives us the skills to deal with racism and other forms of oppression”, pg. 2. I just keep going back to that word, “transform” – it has been in nearly everything that we have read for the last couple of weeks. It influences my way of thinking, or “habits of mind”, more than anything else could. These articles bring to light an awareness of things that I didn’t know existed. One example, is that “multicultural programs at the K-12 level were framed around issues of cultural difference rather than social justice and inequality”, pg. 3. By stating it that way, there is much more clarity. Similarly, I did not realize that “standards and high-stakes testing…is having the single greatest effect on multicultural programs”. This makes me wonder how other countries deal with “anti-racist” and “multicultural” issues in education. Surely these same issues exist – how do the “dominant cultures” effectively deal with these issues abroad? It was refreshing to read at least one positive comment in this article, written by Banks, pg. 5, which states, “one positive aspect to the standards and testing movement as it pertains to multicultural, anti-racist education…assumes all students can learn”. Shouldn’t we be thinking that about ALL of our students in that manner? No one program, pedagogy, or philosophy could make me think otherwise. It really is up to me – I am creative enough to know that I can weave issues of social justice and inequality, standards, and yes, even test taking strategies, into my lessons which will encourage and promote individual success, while still valuing their “racial, cultural and linguistic identity”, pg. 5.
Freire: Chapter 6
The only way that I can seem to understand Freire’s work, is to look at it through spirtitual eyes. The verse that comes to mind, after reading this chapter, was “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind”. I cannot hope to learn anything without both an openness and a willingness to do so. (I went ahead and read and commented on chapter 7 as well, to try to make sense of what he was trying to share). I must consider learning about my students, before I can actually understand who they are, or what they bring to the “table” so to speak. How interesting that he uses such terms as “lost”, “conviction”, “testimony”, and my favorite, “transformation”. We cannot change without an inner transformation, caused by something that has pricked our conscious into action – much like Madalena in the case of Carla. We have all been “pricked” into action by the “checks” in our spirits.
Freire: Chapter 7 & Oakes and Lipton: Chapter 7
Paolo, Paolo, Paolo – how your words confuse me! Freire writes, ”Permissive people are amphibious – they live in the water and on the land – they are not complete; they are defined consistently neither by freedom nor by authority” (p. 112). I wonder what made him use that word picture? I see life and change and possibility in that statement. Not complete? Hmmm, I see permissiveness as circular in nature, just as the life cycle of an amphibian is circular. We cannot understand democracy or authoritarianism without first understanding the power of permission. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines permissive as: a. a granting or tending to grant permission: Tolerant b. deficient in firmness or control: Indulgent, lax. Permission, therefore, is defined as: 1. the act of permitting 2. formal consent. In this context then, is tolerance negative? Aren’t we taught that we must teach tolerance to help others understand, to cultivate change in heart and mind?
Perhaps you have heard me say, “I’m growing in the gray”. This, to me, is the essence of permissiveness. Often, we allow ourselves to be influenced by the thoughts, deeds or actions of others, while inwardly we may not fully understand these thoughts, deeds or actions. The result, then, is a feeling of “grayness”. I can only fully understand, when I choose to make my own decisions about what I learn and how I learn, resulting in growth. Going back to the word picture, I remain what I am for a small bit of time, but I am ever changing. I am a progressive teacher, because I allow myself to be changed.
Oakes & Lipton, Chapter 7
I found this chapter quite interesting. I love to read about history, and reading about the history of education gives perspective on the growth and changes in education. I found it quite encouraging that the new teachers, whose stories are highlighted, showed such dedication and willingness to reach their students through the development of caring, trusting relationships. In particular, I think of the words written by Amy Lee, who writes, “I believe that it was the time and effort in building caring realtionships that made all the difference…I fell in love with my job this year, because I fell in love with the students I teach”, (p. 252).
Recently, the topic of management came up at an In-service I facilitated at another school. The teacher, relatively new to teaching (this being her 2nd year), asked “What should the noise level be like during Writer’s Workshop?” I responded by saying that that decision would have to be up to her and her students. What a great topic for a mini-lesson, or a circle discussion! I think it is imperative that students have a part in making the “rules”, or in the setting up of respectful relationships within the classroom environment.
I did not realize how much education and industry were tied together. “The expansion of large-scale, assembly-line production made equal sense for schools and factories”, (p. 255), was quite an interesting quote to me. How interesting, too, that children would rather have worked in factories, than go to school. How fortunate that the voices of some reformers were heard! I think of Jane Addams, and her settlement house – Hull House. I can only imagine that she provided a loving, supportive learning environment, and as a result, “initiated a movement…called “’socialized education’”, (p. 265), which has influenced so many movements and programs in the last century.
I read in wonder and in awe of such reformers as Pestalozzi and Froebel, and never cease to marvel at the diligence with which they persisted. I found the description of Nel Noddings philosophy, who wants an “‘ethic of care’ to shape the social, emotional, and academic conditions in classrooms”, (p. 256), to be in keeping with my own personal philosophy. Throughout this chapter, I kept on thinking that I have been influenced by many of these people throughout my own educational experience. I know that some of my teachers were influenced by the more traditional practices mentioned in other chapters. As far as the more contemporary reformers, I understand their causes, and am a firm believer in the idea of building realtionships, of making learning with students meaningful, co-constucted, and respectful of the all stake-holders in the learning process within that learning community. Developing my own critical pedagogy includes knowing my students, developing our own sense of community, and being open, honest and reflective in my appproaches and practices to affirm and validate each indivudual learner.
Freire: Eighth Letter Cultural Identity and Education
I had a difficult time reading this chapter. What Freire wrote was both confusing and clear. At times, I felt that it was doubletalk. The quote that I most agreed with, found on pg. 130, was “Educators need to know what happens in the world of the children with whom they work”. How do we get to know them? Talking with them, listening to their wondrous questions and answers. We learn about their worlds through their words. Those words might be in the language of their culture, but I am a keen learner. I, too, ask questions. I, too, want to learn the meanings of words that I don’t know, from a language that I thought I knew. I, too, want to learn about situational language or code-switching. I think of the author of our book talk, Mary Cowhey, who writes about how the learning in her classroom is respectful of language differences. She writes about how some words, which are familiar to all of the children, are spoken with different accents so that the children are exposed to how others might pronounce them. She writes about how she works with her ELL’s before given assignments, so that they have a chance to practice what they will say before others in a group setting. She allows children to experience a culturally sensitive environment within her classroom.
I often wonder about what it would have been like to sit down with Paolo Freire, and discuss his beliefs and his passions. I think of his influence, and how many people’s lives he has touched because of his passion. Where are those farmers now? Where are those kite flyers now? Did his work, and the work of his colleagues, make a difference with them? As I continue to construct meaning from all of our readings, connecting common causes, pedagogies and ideologies, I wonder about the differences I might make in my students’ lives. Even more importantly, I wonder about the differences they will make in my life.
