The research conducted by Annette Henry with adolescent African Caribbean girls and by Jeanine Staples with African American urban adolescents illustrated how young readers can create meaning when the text is engaging and the environment is free of judgment from the authority figure. Getting to know your students seems to be a necessity for reaching students socially, academically, and culturally when interacting with text. The relevant, real-world connections made by these researchers in a non-threatening atmosphere enabled the students to bring their own voice and identity to the text giving it a sense of purpose that is often not found in the traditionally structured classroom environment. When we have a multicultural population, it often leaves some students without voice, and as one junior high school teacher explained to Henry, voice is power. It empowers students to express their ideas in a productive and positive way. Both studies note the importance of creating independent and critical thinkers by constructing language and communications skills among their peers.
As a teacher in the elementary grades, I understand the need to provide opportunities for students to find value and relevance in their classroom work. When provided with a more flexible after-school setting, the ability to use engaging forms of media to build voice and thinking skills appeared more acceptable than the traditional school setting now accountable for standardized test scores as an indication of achievement in reading. I feel these small groups gave the students stronger voice and identity when expressing and articulating their views but I am skeptical about the extent that this could be modeled in a classroom of twenty multicultural students. As stated in Henry’s research, “school is rarely a place for explicit discussions of private discourses” as described in these studies. The skills acquired by these students when using culturally relevant text in their small groups gave them confidence and critical thinking skills that fortunately carried over into their classroom work. While some of the material in these studies would not be appropriate for classroom text, I feel there are literary works that deal with similar issues our students face on a regular basis outside of school that would help build those connections and provide a stronger voice.
I think the bottom line of these studies is for educators to allow students the ability find their voice through culturally relevant media and by allowing them to express their voice in a safe and non-threatening environment where they are given freedom and cooperative authority about the program structure and text value. I am not saying this is an easy task, but with a willingness to get to know our students and to learn what is relevant in their lives, we can create critical thinkers who feel accepted and valued in their school community.
Michelle Carlson
Comments (3)
Voice is power, and it is the teacher's responsibility to empower students by offering an environment free of judgment among their peers and authority figures. This is achieved as we teach the language with culturally relevant media and texts as you stated. Because of state demands, students formalize that school = testing. Therefore, an after-school setting gives way to flexibility and comfortability, but not all students are able to stay after school so the time to meet each student's needs is during the class' day. Teachers need to apply this flexibility and comfortability to the traditional classroom setting when we have all of our students...not just a select few. By appealing to each learner and their backgrounds and interests, our curriculum becomes student-focused. Doing this will hopefully encourage them to think more critically, and establishing an environment that doesn't judge someone for their views will give them the confidence to share their thoughts and ideas as they relate to the various literacies and texts in forming their identities. Teachers can take it a step further than that when they allow students a choice within the classroom curriculum, making it student-focused and student-directed.
Posted by Melissa Riley | June 13, 2011 10:48 PM
Posted on June 13, 2011 22:48
Voice empowers students,and listening to their voice is a great way to learn about them. This will help us reach them socially, academically, and culturally. I have found that it is sometimes difficult to encourage students to use their voice. Students are always worried about what their peers think, so it is very important that we provide a safe, positive, non-judgemental learning environment in our classes. An expectation that I have for my students is to respect not only me, but themself and their peers. I do believe that it is difficult to provide a non-judgemental environment with a whole class of twenty or more students.
Posted by Lisa Beach | June 14, 2011 2:02 PM
Posted on June 14, 2011 14:02
Michelle,
What a lovely integration of the issues here! I see your point about "applying" some of the strategies from the small, after-school groups in the research articles to large classrooms. But you make a good point when you summarize what *can* be done in larger settings and the teachers' role. Well done!
Posted by Dr. Jackson | June 16, 2011 10:42 AM
Posted on June 16, 2011 10:42