Blog post #10

 Blog post #10

When I look at everything that I have done this semester the three things that stick out to me are. 

1. How understanding the classroom is. Everyone can be themselves, and classmates do listen to what another peer is saying, they also give feedback. Overall it is a great class.

2. A quote that will stick with me is a quote by Lisa Delpit By: Lisa Delpit

“Those with power are frequently least  aware of or least willing to acknowledge its existence. Those with less power are often most aware of its existence.” and it means those who hold positions of power or privilege may not always recognize the extent of their advantage, while those who lack power are acutely aware of their disadvantaged position. People in positions of power aren't aware of how much power they hold or have against those who have none. 

3. How every morning before we get started with class we go around and do the morning routine of how we are feeling this morning. Not only does it kinda wake everyone up and have everyone engaged but it also shows that you want to get to know us and do really care. 

Blog post #9

 Blog post #9

Queering our schools

By the editors of Rethinking Schools

Argument 

There was  a quote in the article that I liked. The quote was also passed over in our classroom discussion. The quote said “How do we create classrooms and schools where each child, parent, and staff member’s unique, beautiful self is appreciated and nurtured?. I think the answer to that quote is having an environment that values and celebrates diversity in all its forms, including race, ethnicity, culture, gender, abilities, and backgrounds. Promote a culture of respect, empathy, and understanding, where differences are seen as strengths rather than them being obstacles. Another way is to Focus on identifying and building each other up with each individual's strengths rather than emphasizing weaknesses. Encourage educators to recognize and leverage the  talents and skills both the students and staff bring to the table.

Overall the small article is about building community and being able to look forward by advocating for one another, just having eachothers back. The main arguments for this article is having a Supportive School Environments: finding ways to  explore and  create a school climate that is supportive of LGBTQ+ students, teachers, and the whole staff. May have to Change up policies, practices, and initiatives aimed at fostering a sense of belonging for everyone. It argues to  encourage schools to engage in advocacy and activism to promote LGBTQ+ rights and representation to have a better educational system. One of the main things that goes along with this article that we went over in class is intersectionality, being able to  recognize and address the intersectionality of different identities, being able to acknowledge that individuals may experience multiple forms of criticism or privilege.

Another quote that I like was “Community is built by working through differences, not sweeping them under the rug”. It is basically saying we can't move forward or understand each other unless we come together as a group and as a community and be able to understand what makes us different. 

Blog #8

 Blog post #8

Eliminating Ableism in Education

Thomas Hehir

Reflection

Thomas Hehir's vision of eliminating ableism in education calls for a transforming shift in our approach to teaching and learning. He talks about  the value of diversity and advocates for an educational system that makes sure every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. Take away the barriers created by ableism, so we can pave a better, more equitable educational system.

Reading this piece makes me think about the video we watched in class about ableism. It makes me think about parents missing work to stay with their kids and making sure they are getting the same opportunities as their classmates. It makes a connection to heirs and how he talks about collaboration between families, educators, and specialists that are there to help during class. How it is essential to address the unique needs of each student. He talks about working together and that's all the parents want, to work together to provide the best for their children. 

It makes me think about the Support and Resources disability people need. The importance of providing good quality resources. Also how some teachers need the training and support to effectively work with students with disabilities. From the video we saw in class there were some teachers and some staff that didn't know how to help students with disabilities or couldn't help the parents who were trying to advocate for their children. It makes me feel like there needs to be more educational systems that values and respects all students and staff. There needs to be changes in education that create a culture of belonging that includes everybody with fairness. In the video we watched I saw a student who was disabled working with nondisabled students, how the specialist was helping him communicate and ask a question so he is more involved with the class and the work. Basically an educational environment where students with disabilities can learn side by side with their non-disabled peers. Benefits students with disabilities but also builds a sense of belonging and happiness amongst all students.

Blog Post #7

 Post #7

Richard Rodriguez, “Aria”

Argument 

This author Rodriguez argues about the transformation through Education, how it can make one feel lost and distant but it can also transform the person from a shy child into a confident, outgoing student. Other main points of his short reading is on the personal journey of self discovery and identity formation through language.

A quote I took from the reading that I thought fit with him trying to find his identity says  “Because I wrongly imagined that English was intrinsically a public language and Spanish an intrinsically private one, I easily noted the difference between classroom language and the language of home.” It made me think about how towards the end of the short reading he reflects on the deep emotional connection he has to bilingualism and his identity , acknowledging the unique perspective and cultural understanding it provides. He highlights that bilingualism is an important part of his identity. Compared to the beginning when he never thought he could speak a single public language. How he talked about it would've made him feel less afraid and would have pleased him to hear his teachers address him in Spanish when he entered the classroom. How he Would have trusted them and responded with ease. I saw that he wanted to learn English because he talked about how if his teachers only addressed him in Spanish it would have delayed him, evaded and he talked about how long he could have afforded to wait.

A theme that I saw was the Loss of Spanish. As Rodriguez became more proficient in English, he began to lose his fluency in Spanish. He expresses a sense of loss and distance from his family and cultural heritage as he embraced English. A quote that I found that goes perfectly with this is “My mother! My Father! After English became my primary language, I no longer knew what words to use in addressing my parents. The old Spanish words I had used earlier “mama and papa” I couldn't use anymore”.

Video Analysis

 

Blog post #6

 Post #6

Literacy with anAttitude by Patrick J. Finn

Extended Comments

For this week I am doing extended comments. I am doing it on Mason’s blog. He made some really good points on his blog. One main thing he talked about from chapter 1 was how the working class and poor kids relate to authority. Authority is so important in the classroom because it is a crucial part of maintaining discipline. I want to add onto that and say that Finn talks a lot about the teachers who see themselves as allies of their working class students and how teachers can help their students see that literacy and school knowl-edge could be a potent weapons in their struggle for a better deal by connecting school knowledge with the reality of working class students' lives. How literacy can be used to challenge and change societal norms and power structures. 

In Chapter 2 Mason talks about how the schools that have top earning families are predominately all white schools. He talks about the roles of a teacher, that As a teacher you should be eager to help the students reach their goals. The mentioning of personal development and creativity are crucial to understand. As a developing teacher, Mason finds that creativity is something that is lacking in the developing youth. Chapter 2 covers teaching strategies, activities, and resources for educators to use when promoting critical literacy skills among students. This reading is helping educators be more aware of the Importance of Literacy. 

One big thing that Finn talks about is the respect for Students' Voices, that teachers should respect and value the voices and experiences of their students. Acknowledging the unique knowledge and perspectives that working-class students bring to the classroom. Reading about this shows everyone what is going on and how students are being treated, that there needs to be a change. For example the role of teachers, teacher's should advocate for working-class students. He talks about how teachers should encourage and be allies in the struggle of fair education.

Post #5

  Blog post #5

Defining Racism Can We Talk ? by Beverly Daniel Tatum  

Argument 

This author Tatum argues that there are still individuals that think racism is of the past. She also argues that by defining racism we can have more productive conversations about racial issues and work towards repairing racial inequalities. She emphasizes that acknowledging racism as a system is crucial for creating a more equitable society. She talks about how important it is to engage in open and honest conversations about race, both in personal and educational settings, to promote understanding.

In the text Tatum talks about how the legacy of racism is not hard to see and we are all affected by it. She highlights the importance of understanding racism as a system of advantage and disadvantage based on race. She talks about that in the context of the United States the System operates to the advantages of whites and Disadvantages of people of color. How many of her White students do not feel powerful. How for some their response would be “I’m not really prejudiced, and I have no power, so racism has nothing to do with me” If they are really honest most White people can see that there are advantages to being white. There was a quote and it  said “However all white people benefit from racism intentionally or unintentionally, but they do not benefit equally.” most don't do it intentionally but it just happens and they benefit whether they want to or not. Disadvantages and benefits may differ from factors like status, age, and gender.

 The author also talks about how the impact of racism begins early. Some are even affected in preschool where we are exposed to misinformations about people that are different from us. She makes an argument about how most of the stereotypes we make don't come from what we have been told, but from what we have not been told. “People of color are equally targeted by racism”.  They will have disadvantages in categories of race, and gender and another will have a disadvantage or advantage in a different category. Tatum emphasizes that racism limits opportunities for people of color in various aspects of life, including education, employment, and housing. The stress, anxiety, and feelings of not being as good as someone else  that racism can generate in people of color.