Most of my students at William Elementary School do not have a problem with a language barrier. But I have noticed when I have gone to other classrooms when my class is at gym there is a slight problem. I once thought that if a child had to learn to write, read, and speak english after growing up with a different primary language. The lesson plans that teachers do must be able to relate to all of the bilingual children and the directions hopefully just as simplistic. I can tell that everything in my first grade class is very basic.
To my surprise when we had read during our FNED 346 the article of Teaching English Language Learner that it really is not that hard for a student to learn to read in English if they are taught to read in their own language first, Goldenberg. I was in awe. Most of my students are just starting to read however and some are struggling but like I mentioned previously a lot are behind. I did get to observe two of the students start talking away in Spanish and know one seemed to even realize it. I however just did what I love to do and people watched at how they interacted. It was much easier for the children to help each other and the Ms. S did not seem to care.
Johnson says that it is good for students backgrounds to be brought into the classroom and Ms. S has in her room many things the students bring in to her room every where. They all point and say what the object or picture they drew of their families mean to them. The students all seem to be proud of their heritages and that is exactly what a classroom should do. Embrass instead of neglect.
One of my visits when I was going to help two students start reading. They just stared at me nervous and probably thinking who is this woman, why is she here. I realized my approach was probably very foward. So, when I was able to sit with them again I said a little about my self. I then asked the children to write something about themselves down and draw a picture. They immdedicately started to scribble. It was a tad hard to read but I was glad they became more comftorable and this has helped us create a strong bond. Johnson explain the crucial importance of making sure their is no prejudice of the differences in the classroom and not let the majority take over.
I have started noticing a lot of the students have gotten books from their school libraries with a cd in them. This cd translates the book into different languages which is very cool. The students seem to enjoy engaging in a book more often. I always start to chuckle when they are proud that they have finally finished reading it on their own and they can tell me or their teacher all about it.
This realization of the major differences in any classroom could prompt as a problem but if we work it out in a way that we can be able to share our differences then we as a classroom will be stronger, that is what I truly believe.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sociocultural Differences
Entering the classroom twice a week to me has shown me how much diversity there really is in our society today which is amazing. I walk in and see all of these students talking with their friends and notice most of the students are of a Hispanic background and are the minority are of a White background. This is an entirely different world from what I grew up with because I went to a catholic school where now if I think about it 99% of the time the classroom was mainly white. This always seemed so normal to me and it was what i was use to until I entered high school and realized how many diverse people there were.
My first grade classroom always has something to teach me. I go there to help them and they always end up teaching me something knew. They are always full of interesting to say the least stories about their families and home enviornment. I realize that each student has their own reason for doing things partially because of their background and this can either help them affectively or maybe not so much. We must realize as teachers that going in to a classroom we must be open minded and accept every child in their own unique way and try and make them stronger in what they struggle with. We need to be able to respond and enable them to have a smotther transition into a positive action pedagogy. We can prepare ourselve but as much as we try to be ahead of the game there will always be this one student who just makes us seem like did we even prepare ourselves well enough. Delpit also explains how students are different and it is important that we can recognize the students differences in order for them to understand what we are teaching.
A student who is a definite example of how to make our job more "interesting" or maybe more of an effort is Bobby. When I walked into this classroom Bobby really gave me a run for my money. He was off the walls and the teacher said just to kind of over look him. Not ignore him but maybe ignore his hyperness. I thought that may be difficult seeing as every where I went.. BAM.. there he was but I did my best to help everyone. He did not make my job easy to help him; he would really just want to get his work done so he would skip over everything and put his work away. Lisa Delpit mentioned that sometimes white teachers do not seem to be more authorative but I feel that I gave clear instructions but of course because he would not even listen to the instructions so he did not know what to do with his paper. Finally, I tried to relate to this over active child and sat him down and told him stories about me even if there were not entirely true it made him feel like I was on his level. I felt that i stayed in charge but I think if we have a common ground we could get a lot farther. I tried to break down barriers in a safe way and I am sure that is what made him willing to participate. (Carlson) I think this helped because every time I know I come in he is like a totally different kid. Maybe not as melow as the teacher would like, but he completes his work and if he has a question he is not affraid to ask.
Shor states, "people are naturally curious," he is very right. He is now willing to critical think and speak instead of feeling marginalized if he has the wrong answer. Bobby was so interested once he understood what was going on. Like Kozol would mention, is we must try and make a relationship of trust with the children and then they will be willing to accept us. Bobby was stereotyped as over active and hyper. He beat what Shor talks about as status quo and changes himself. He shows he can be cooperative and engaged in what ever activity is set before him. He unfortunately was a disruption and disturbance to Ms. S's classroom but now is a delight.
I feel as being a teacher we need to be able and try to relate to children. No matter who they are where they come from. They are all important and all have different needs. The kids have things to share with us and with that I know they will have something to teach us, which is equally as important.
My first grade classroom always has something to teach me. I go there to help them and they always end up teaching me something knew. They are always full of interesting to say the least stories about their families and home enviornment. I realize that each student has their own reason for doing things partially because of their background and this can either help them affectively or maybe not so much. We must realize as teachers that going in to a classroom we must be open minded and accept every child in their own unique way and try and make them stronger in what they struggle with. We need to be able to respond and enable them to have a smotther transition into a positive action pedagogy. We can prepare ourselve but as much as we try to be ahead of the game there will always be this one student who just makes us seem like did we even prepare ourselves well enough. Delpit also explains how students are different and it is important that we can recognize the students differences in order for them to understand what we are teaching.
A student who is a definite example of how to make our job more "interesting" or maybe more of an effort is Bobby. When I walked into this classroom Bobby really gave me a run for my money. He was off the walls and the teacher said just to kind of over look him. Not ignore him but maybe ignore his hyperness. I thought that may be difficult seeing as every where I went.. BAM.. there he was but I did my best to help everyone. He did not make my job easy to help him; he would really just want to get his work done so he would skip over everything and put his work away. Lisa Delpit mentioned that sometimes white teachers do not seem to be more authorative but I feel that I gave clear instructions but of course because he would not even listen to the instructions so he did not know what to do with his paper. Finally, I tried to relate to this over active child and sat him down and told him stories about me even if there were not entirely true it made him feel like I was on his level. I felt that i stayed in charge but I think if we have a common ground we could get a lot farther. I tried to break down barriers in a safe way and I am sure that is what made him willing to participate. (Carlson) I think this helped because every time I know I come in he is like a totally different kid. Maybe not as melow as the teacher would like, but he completes his work and if he has a question he is not affraid to ask.
Shor states, "people are naturally curious," he is very right. He is now willing to critical think and speak instead of feeling marginalized if he has the wrong answer. Bobby was so interested once he understood what was going on. Like Kozol would mention, is we must try and make a relationship of trust with the children and then they will be willing to accept us. Bobby was stereotyped as over active and hyper. He beat what Shor talks about as status quo and changes himself. He shows he can be cooperative and engaged in what ever activity is set before him. He unfortunately was a disruption and disturbance to Ms. S's classroom but now is a delight.
I feel as being a teacher we need to be able and try to relate to children. No matter who they are where they come from. They are all important and all have different needs. The kids have things to share with us and with that I know they will have something to teach us, which is equally as important.
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