Social Justice Event: Promising Practices Reflection

     

     On November 1, 2014 Rhode Island College held its annual Promising Practices conference which myself, and many other potential educators and some current educators attended. It was very influential and reinforced some of the ideas previously discussed in class.
     The first presentation I attended was about the benefits of "hands-on learning". It was based around a science experiment which high school age students could perform by themselves after some instruction. By doing it themselves, they get to learn how to work as a team and if they fail, they have learned something as well. The presentation really wanted us to learn that it was okay to have students fail on their own, as long as they can learn from it and then try and succeed. Also, by working with actual materials and using their hands, students become more engaged with the lesson and are more likely to do well on any follow-up assignments. This reminded me of the article we read in class, "Why Can't She Remember That?". The presentation relates to the reading because both talk about how kids will remember and be influenced by things they can relate to. Even if a student hates science, if they do the experiment themselves, they are more likely to remember it than if the teacher just did it in front of the class for the students to watch. The presenter said that she really tries to push for a more "hands-on" approach in all different types of classrooms, and can see how it could benefit students everywhere.

     The second presentation I went to was much more enjoyable than the first, and certainly left a greater impact on me. It focused on motivating students intrinsically rather than extrinsically, and the benefits of each. The presentation reminded me of two videos; the first video explains the differences between motivation factors and the reasons for using them, and the second video explains what we need to do in order to motivate kids for the long run. The presenter gave examples from her own fifth grade classroom, and how she made them believe that they were motivating themselves, with only a simple nudge from her in the direction they needed to go. She says her students work is much better when they think they wanted to do it, rather than being told they have to do it. Also, when a reward comes in to play, she said her students get excited, but the sparks die off much quicker than if they motivated themselves. This presentation reminded me of the reading "Becoming Something Different" with Esme. She would work extremely hard in her cosmetology classes and was motivating herself to do well in those. She knew she had to do well in her other classes as well, so despite constant reminders from people that she could fail, she worked hard to pass her classes and do well. She even pushed herself and got into honor level classes. Like Esme, and the fifth graders the presenter talked about, students can achieve anything if they set their minds to it.
     Finally, the keynote speaker gave a very memorable presentation. His main point was that the education system needs to adapt to the kids we are teaching today, not those from 30 or so years ago. A lot of what he mentioned reminded me of Ms. G from Freedom Writer's and how she took the time to get to know her students and teach in a way tailored to them and what would lead them towards success. This reminded me if the reading "Why Can't She Remember That" again because the more personal things are, the more likely a student is to remember and really learn something from a lesson. She worked hard to find different teaching methods that would work for her class and was not afraid to try something and have it fail. All she cared about was educating those kids to the absolute best of her ability and in a way they could comprehend and would take something away from it. Most teachers who encounter a class like the one Ms. G had would just give up on them and assume they would fail, demonstrating their power and white privilege like what was mentioned in "Privilege, Power, and Difference" or "White Privilege". Children all around the country are still facing classrooms and other environments where white privilege exists and it is well beyond the time where that should not be prevalent anymore.  Overall, the keynote speaker was advocating for an educational reform, just as Ken Robinson does in this video. He also says that our current education system is outdated and does not work for today's youth to flourish. If we want to see education improve, then we need to reevaluate how we connect with the students and the way that they learn best. As Abraham Lincoln once said, "We must rise with the occasion", we must be willing to change and adapt our education system to meet and exceed the needs of this ever-changing world.

"Education in Politics" Quotes

Quote 1: "People are naturally curious. They are born learners. Education can
either develop or stifle their inclination to ask why and to learn." (pg. 12)
This quote explains that people are curious, and by asking questions their knowledge is able to grow and flourish. As teachers, it is their job to encourage learning and questions, and if they do not then they are not truly educating their students. Education isn't merely the memorization of facts, but instead learning how things work and why. Without questioning, students can't become critical thinkers, and the curriculum isn't politically neutral. Teachers help their students make sense of their education and the world around them. A curriculum that doesn't allow for questioning shows the students there is no room for growth and change, and everything around them is fine the way it is. Which is false, because there is always room for improvement and the kids in school now will be the future reformers.

Quote 2: "Education is more than facts and skills. It is a socializing experience that helps make the people who make society." (pg. 15)
This quote explains that education is more than just facts, its about the socialization process of young kids as well. Kids grow and learn from the people around them and not just from learning about facts for a test. By learning about the arts, and proper sportsmanship in P.E., it makes kids educated in a more all around way. They learn how to be a productive member of society from watching others and learning how to properly communicate with them. By socializing kids properly, it makes for a better society in the future. In this video, Sir Ken Robinson talks about how a proper education needs to incorporate the arts, and humanities. He also focuses on the "No Child Left Behind Act", and why it is not effective for such a diverse country. He says teachers are the "lifeplug" of schools, and he is right. Teachers completely influence the way the children of this country will be, and they need to prepare these kids to become proper and influential members of society.

Quote 3: "Schools need to be defended, as an important public service that educates students to be critical citizens who can think, challenge, take risks, and believe that their actions will make a difference in the larger society." (pg. 16)
This quote explains that schools are important, and they need to continue to challenge students if they want to better the society in which we live. Students need to be challenged at school in order to broaden the knowledge they take in and already know about the world, themselves, and the infinite possibilities. A teacher must lead the class in discovering how to become a member of society and how to make things better in the future. This video talks about how the education system is made for the past, and that we must rise with it. We must adapt our curriculum to meet the world we face today in order to be successful.

"Citizenship in School: Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome" Reflection

Christopher Kliewer writes about the struggles children with down syndrome face in a classroom and within their communities. He talks about how teachers have to learn to adapt, and not just focus on what a child can't do. Kids learn and express themselves in all different ways, and that does not make them wrong because they are not doing it the traditional way, and that goes for any kid not just those with down syndrome. He also talks about the different school environments that some children have encountered and what they have done to either help or hinder the child. He mentions Isaac, a young boy in a class that is completely accepting of him and he has grown and prospered tremendously. But then there are other cases where children do not feel like they are a part of their community, like John, and ultimately it hurts them. When John moved to a new town that accepted and included him, he flourished. Classrooms and communities need to be more open to the idea of inclusion, so that it can benefit everyone. All children are capable of remarkable things, we just have to give them the opportunities to try.
     This video explains it all in my opinion. It talks about the benefits of an inclusion classroom, and the benefits of inclusion in a community. He mentions that a kids need to feel as though they belong to the community they live in, they learn to form relationships and develop as a person this way. But at the center of a community is the local school, and that is the most important factor. He explains the various studies done to prove that inclusion classrooms benefit everyone, and even what could happen when kids are separated based on their abilities. Having kids of all different backgrounds, abilities, genders, etc. help them to grow, learn acceptance, and foster a sense of belonging. One interesting thing he mentioned was that kids who are in a class with other children who are considered "special education" tend to do even better because they work with these kids to help them with the work, and in return they become more engaged with the lesson themselves. Overall, inclusion classrooms prove to be in everyone's best interest, and more schools should be aiming to promote them. He says that we should teach our kids that this is a part of life, and to embrace and accept it.

"Literacy With an Attitude" Reflection

     While reading this article by Patrick Finn, I can't say I was surprised with the awful evidence of elementary schools that was presented. It happens all around us and even as the school systems get older and say they are progressing, nothing has changed. There are still many differences between schools and what is taught or expected throughout them. The article mentions the different types of elementary schools based on socioeconomic status, and I can see that happening today.
     For my service learning project, I am in a school in Providence with an ESL and ELL third grade class. Many of the teachers in that building have accommodated their work to meet the levels of what they think these children can accomplish (which is not very much). Granted, these children have a tough time with some work because of a language barrier, but they are not pushed to achieve at all. The teachers do not give them most of the work that is required of a third grade student, and when asked about it, they shrug it off and say that the school expects too much from these students and they are not capable of the work. The other children in the classrooms that are not labeled ESL or ELL still are not challenged very much, they are given directions for work and expected to complete it. Discipline is very important in this school, children are told what is expected of them, and the punishments that go hand and hand with that. There is very little creative assignments that I have seen, but one thing I did notice was that a few of the children do talk about enjoying school and wanting to go to college.
     In contrast, the elementary school I went to was in a middle class neighborhood, and we did far more creative assignments and were expected to want a challenge. The work related to topics in and outside the classroom, and I feel as though we were given more freedom. The discipline in my elementary school was present, but was not nearly as prominent. One thing that now stands out to me was that we always got out own books that we were allowed to bring home for homework, unlike the school I am tutoring at. Every socioeconomic class has their own schools which have their own standards just like in the article.
     Throughout a student's time in elementary school, they are constantly tracked and given work that someone of higher authority feels they can do. Students are constantly subjected to standardized testing which allows the  school and government to see how large the achievement gap is and where a student stands as far as ability. It goes beyond elementary schools though, into middle school and high school children are separated into honors classes, AP classes, regular level classes, and remedial or resource level classes. It is very difficult to move from one level to the other once placed there. The school system is setting some children up to succeed and others to expect to fail. And just like the different types of elementary schools in the article, that applies to the different classes as well. The honors/AP classes do more work, but it can relate to current world issues and there is little discipline in these classes because it simply isn't needed. Then you have the remedial/resource classes which many teachers are just expected to handle, and the students know they are put there because they are not ready to be as challenged. This is continuing to happen in schools all over, not just in one particular socioeconomic class. And until the school system works to change how they track students and continuously expect certain things from them, nothing will change.
     Schools systems need to be ready to accommodate all types of students, and be willing to advocate and prepare them to succeed, not just learn how to handle them. In the movie Freedom Writer's, Ms. G worked incredibly hard to make sure her students knew they had a chance at achieving something, or anything they wanted. Their class, gender, race, or anything else did not define them or label them to not make it in this world. She may have been given a remedial level class, but she challenged these students, and built their creativity until they knew they could do better. Until more teachers work to challenge students and push them to exceed what is expected of them, we will still have those different types of schools Finn talks about.
     This video talks about how the school system in place is killing children's creativity. Like in the article, children in different schools are expected to have different levels of creativity and many schools are killing that part of a child's character. We need to change how are children obtain knowledge and their understanding of it in order for all children to want to achieve.
   

"Becoming Something Different: Learning from Esmé" Connections

     When reading this article, it reminded me of "Aria" by Richard Rodriguez and the difficulties he faced as an English language learner in the American school system. He struggled with his identity as a male growing up in a Spanish speaking household and then being forced to learn English and the new identity that came with that. Esmé also came from a Spanish speaking home and had to learn English, and during that time, she was developing her identity as well. Both languages and cultures affect Rodriguez and Esmé, and shaped them into the students and people they grew up to be. Both learned what was expected from them as members of a Latino/a community, and what was expected from them as a part of an American classroom. They formed their own ideas, opinions, and friends, but it was based upon what they were being told was right. Both individuals were very bright, but were often faced with the challenges of proving this in a classroom where they could not even understand the instructions of a lesson. They met some teachers willing to work with and put in effort to see them succeed, and others did not. They also saw members of their family and community encourage them and want them to prosper, but also tried to enforce their culture and heritage as remaining one of the more important factors of their lives. Both Rodriguez and Esmé faced a constant battle between the two separate worlds, and the languages that formed the barriers.
     Esmé also faced a lot of challenges based on her ethnicity, which reminded me of the constant struggle people face because of white privilege and the article by Peggy McIntosh perfectly exemplifies that. Coming from a Mexican family who knew very little English, Esmé did not receive any privileges and actually had to overcome many obstacles. She was placed in a remedial English class, but had other honors level classes. When she wanted to move down to a regular level class they moved her into all regular classes and she did not keep any honors ones. I feel if she was white, they would have allowed her to remain in some honors classes and some regular, or worked with her/given her the necessary help to remain in the honors classes. I think white power and privilege plays a huge role in the American school system and in order for all students to succeed that needs to change.
     I feel as though if Esmé were white, her time in American schools would have been a lot different. As a white individual, you never have to worry about whether or not you will understand your teacher, and that is the biggest privilege of all in my opinion. If she were a white student struggling, I think she would have received more help than what she was given as a non-white student and she wouldn't have been so quickly questioned about special education. This is currently happening in my service learning classroom. There are a few students who are English language learners and they are being tested for a special education program. But their teacher has said multiple times, and I have observed that there is in fact no need for special education programs to be implemented, they just need more help and explanations when it comes to certain things because they still have not fully grasped the language they are being spoken to in. They are not given the same opportunities, and some do not have a teacher or adult to advocate for them.
     This video is about how every child needs a champion; someone to advocate and work for their students' success. She also mentions how building relationships are so important during a child's time at school, because these relationships help form who they are and help them to do better. It seems that without Esmé's friends, school would have been very different and probably much more difficult without them there to help along the way. She liked her friends, and they influenced her to work hard at her studies. When she faced moving back to Mexico, she thought about how it would be to leave them behind. Throughout her time at school, Esmé had some teachers who really worked hard to try and help her. They sat with her and answered questions, and she felt those were good teachers whom she learned a lot from. If she had more teachers like that, instead of ones who were quick to drop her from the honors classes, then maybe her experience at school would have been very different. Like Esmé, children need someone who will work with them and for them in order to see them succeed. It gives them confidence, and allows them to blossom into the type of student they want to be and forms their identities beyond the classroom.

"Between Barack and a Hard Place" Reflection

     In the video of Tim Wise's speech, he talks about the struggles people face with racial stereotyping. We as a culture assume so many things about people that may or may not be true, but we are taught to think and act this way. I know that I was always taught to lock my car doors when going through Providence because it is a poor, predominantly black neighborhood, and that is an example of a stereotype that I was brought up on and an example of indirect racism that I was unaware of until I started to grow older. I have seen direct racism in the forms of comments or jokes, and knew that was wrong, but the indirect racism we do like stereotyping people is just as bad. Wise talks about what he finds the main problem to be with racism nowadays, which includes no one wanting to talk about it. He encounters many people who claim to have an African American friend, so therefore they can not be racist. He then goes on to disprove this claim, defining what he believes to be a friendship. I found this very interesting because it seems people have come to use the term "friend" very loosely. Personally, all of my friends under Wise's definition would be white. I do have acquaintances who are all of different races, but that just fuels what he was talking about.
     One of Wise's points was that we all have racist, homosexual, or even sexist thoughts; it is inevitable. But what we do after those thoughts is crucial. Do we allow them to consume us and become our expectations, or do we realize that we are being racist or having some sort of prejudice thought? He also mentions the fact that if we don't address the problem or talk about it, it can never get better. Racism is still all around us, whether we want to admit to it or not. The cartoon is just a reenactment of the fact that people still are not equal in today's society.
     One part of his speech that really stuck out to me was the fact of people being hired or called for interviews based on the whiteness of their names. At my job, I am part of the hiring team, and one application came through with what Wise would consider a very black name (she was from Nigeria and had a native name). Because no one could pronounce her name, they did not want to call her. In the end, she was called and hired. But during her interview one of the managers asked her if she had an American name to which she was referred to, and she was called that when at the workplace. In this short video, the young man tells his story of changing his name when looking for a job. He went from Jose to Joe, and immediately got better responses despite having the same resume and experiences. It baffles my mind that some people expect someone to go by a different name or may consider not even calling them for an interview because theirs may be hard to pronounce or is not what we consider white. Being a white female with a easily pronounceable, white name, I have never encountered this problem. This is just another example of white privilege that McIntosh described.
     In conclusion, I really liked the video. I found it funny yet very enlightening. My question to the class is have you ever found yourself thinking a racist thought and caught yourself (like Wise and the black airplane pilots)? Do you still have friends that are black/ a different race than your own according to Wise's definition of a friend?

This video is a short clip of Tim Wise talking about white privilege, where it came from and how it affects us. On my blog there is also his film "White Like Me" which expands on that idea.

"In The Service Of What?" Quotes

Quote 1: " . . . ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
This quote is from President John Kennedy's inaugural address. He is challenging the people of the nation to turn to themselves instead of the nation itself for betterment. That is one of the main goals of service learning and volunteerism. It is doing something for others selflessly, and trying to create something better than before, instead of just expecting something to come to you. "Many agree with Sen. Kennedy, who writes that democracy "means . . . the responsibility to give something back to
America in return for all it has given us." It may be something small, but to one person it may mean the world. All it takes is trying to make a change, and working together as a nation to make things better for everyone.

Quote 2:"Are you better off today than you were four years ago?"
This quote was in a campaign speech given by Ronald Reagan, two decades after John Kennedy. While it is addressed to the individual, and it remains important to better one's self, I think it can be used in the context of community as well. Is the community you are a part of better than it was in the past? With service learning and volunteerism, people are learning and getting opportunities to make their communities better than they were in the past. People are becoming the change we need to see in the world, and four years from now people will look back and try even harder to make things better. Like the video mentions, the work done as a part of service are not permanent solutions. They only forge the bonds that encourage us to build solutions. We alone can not be the solution as to why service learning and volunteering is necessary, but we can certainly make the world we live in a better place and inspire a solution for the future.

Quote 3:"Maybe this [community service] is what citizenship is all about, acting in a decent way toward people who live where we live."
According to this article, and the many programs of service learning around the country, part of being a good person is being decent and helping those who need it. I think this is the message Kennedy, Reagan, and many other influential people have been trying to get us to work at all along. Working as a community is the only way we can create a better tomorrow for ourselves. We need to work together in order to see the improvements we want to achieve.